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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. press — a publisher
  3. roll — a list
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. track — a song
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. roll — a cake
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. press — newspapers
  18. ball — a dance
  19. track — a path
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. press — to push
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. roll — on a roll

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