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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — newspapers
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. track — a path
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. object — to protest
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. track — a song
  12. fine — high quality
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. object — an aim
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. object — a thing
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — bread
  23. branch — a division
  24. bay — a horse colour

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