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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: pit · capital · lean · cap · ruler · key · pound · press

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cap — of ice
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. press — a publisher
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lean — thin
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. capital — money
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. key — the most important part
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. capital — a city
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pound — a weight
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. lean — to bend

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