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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 116 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  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 — a path
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wound — an injury
  7. chip — for betting
  8. press — newspapers
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pit — in a race
  11. chip — to eat
  12. press — a publisher
  13. track — to keep track
  14. swing — music
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. press — to push
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wax — to grow
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. swing — in golf
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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