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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: prune · track · current · deal · pop · bat · press · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. press — newspapers
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. track — a path
  5. prune — to trim
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bat — the animal
  8. current — electric
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — music
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. track — a song
  20. pop — to visit
  21. press — to push
  22. prune — to trim
  23. tube — a container
  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