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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 120 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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lean — thin
  4. press — a publisher
  5. suit — in cards
  6. track — a path
  7. pop — soda
  8. press — to push
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. craft — boats
  12. track — a song
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pop — music
  16. lean — to bend
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pop — to visit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. craft — a skill
  24. perch — the fish

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