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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: foot · bowl · track · march · straw · press · bay · bore

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bore — to drill
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. track — a song
  7. march — music
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bore — to tire
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. march — the month
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. track — to keep track
  19. march — the month
  20. track — a path
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. foot — part of the body

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