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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. press — newspapers
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. staff — employees
  8. tube — a container
  9. stem — to come from
  10. tube — the underground
  11. press — a publisher
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. staff — a stick
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. track — a path
  17. staff — employees
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. deal — to handle
  21. press — to push
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. track — a song

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