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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. land — a country
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. press — to push
  7. march — the month
  8. track — to keep track
  9. land — to come down
  10. prune — to trim
  11. club — a group
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rush — hurry
  14. land — ground
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. club — for dancing
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. club — for golf
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. track — a path

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