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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. press — newspapers
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. hand — help
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mate — to breed
  8. ball — a great time
  9. spell — letters
  10. cap — a lid
  11. track — to keep track
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ball — a dance
  14. press — a publisher
  15. cap — a hat
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. track — a path
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. press — to push
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. hand — in cards
  23. mate — a friend
  24. hand — part of the body

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