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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. drill — the tool
  4. track — a song
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. face — part of the head
  8. drill — army training
  9. tear — from crying
  10. suit — in cards
  11. tear — from crying
  12. press — a publisher
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tear — to rip
  15. face — to confront
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. drill — a practice
  19. suit — clothes
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. suit — to fit
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — to push

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