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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: fall · swing · pass · pitcher · deal · bark · press · track

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. fall — the season
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — to play on
  5. fall — to drop
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. press — newspapers
  13. swing — music
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. track — a song
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. track — a path
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. deal — a big deal

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