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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · arm · pass · pop · capital · press · bay · ruler

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pop — music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. craft — a skill
  9. press — to push
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. craft — boats
  13. pop — to visit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pop — soda
  24. capital — money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com