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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. fall — the season
  4. toast — bread
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fall — to drop
  7. board — a committee
  8. press — newspapers
  9. fall — to drop
  10. press — to push
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. track — a path
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. content — happy
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. track — a song
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. saw — the tool
  22. press — a publisher
  23. board — to get on
  24. content — the amount

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