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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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Word bank
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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: press · mate · track · board · roll · cap · key · kick

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. mate — a friend
  4. track — a path
  5. key — the most important part
  6. mate — to breed
  7. kick — in football
  8. mate — a partner
  9. board — a committee
  10. press — to push
  11. track — a song
  12. cap — a lid
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. board — to get on
  15. track — to keep track
  16. roll — a cake
  17. key — in music
  18. roll — a list
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. cap — a hat
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cap — of ice
  24. board — a flat piece

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