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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pop — soda
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. clip — to cut
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pop — music
  7. track — a path
  8. race — the arms race
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. clip — a video
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. race — humankind
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pop — to visit
  15. track — to keep track
  16. saw — the tool
  17. suit — clothes
  18. press — newspapers
  19. track — a song
  20. saw — the tool
  21. clip — for paper
  22. suit — in cards
  23. race — a contest
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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