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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.

Make a worksheet

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

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: press · racket · pitcher · staff · march · deal · capital · lie

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. press — newspapers
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. capital — a city
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. deal — to handle
  7. press — a publisher
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. press — to push
  13. march — the month
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. staff — employees
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. march — music
  21. lie — to recline
  22. march — the month
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. racket — a loud noise

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