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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 120 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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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: pass · press · racket · stock · capital · bulb · staff · fine

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. capital — money
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. stock — goods
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. staff — employees
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. press — newspapers
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stock — shares
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bulb — for light
  19. capital — a city
  20. press — to push
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. pass — a permit

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