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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. track — a song
  3. key — the most important part
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mark — a trace
  13. key — in music
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a path
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pound — a weight
  20. craft — boats
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. press — a publisher

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