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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a cake
  3. track — a path
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. track — to keep track
  6. press — newspapers
  7. roll — a list
  8. bear — the animal
  9. track — a song
  10. band — a music group
  11. press — to push
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bear — the animal
  15. key — in music
  16. press — a publisher
  17. key — for a lock
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. ball — a great time
  21. key — the most important part
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. bear — to put up with

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