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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: dip · bay · mate · racket · cabinet · press · track · pound

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. track — a song
  4. press — to push
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. mate — a friend
  8. pound — a weight
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. press — newspapers
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pound — for dogs

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