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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. track — to keep track
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. cue — a hint
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. press — newspapers
  7. track — a path
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. suit — in cards
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. press — to push
  14. cue — a signal
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. branch — a division
  17. snap — to click
  18. shower — rain
  19. press — a publisher
  20. track — a song
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. cue — for pool
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. dip — to sink

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