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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lean — thin
  4. fork — in a road
  5. press — newspapers
  6. track — a path
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. band — a ring
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. track — a song
  16. ball — a great time
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. lean — to bend
  19. press — to push
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. press — a publisher
  22. band — a music group
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fork — a garden tool

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