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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 keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. board — to get on
  3. bulb — for light
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bulb — for light
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. fall — to drop
  11. track — a song
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. dip — to sink
  17. fall — the season
  18. track — a path
  19. press — to push
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. dip — a sauce

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