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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: press · track · mate · wake · band · wind · ruler · calf

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. press — newspapers
  4. wind — moving air
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. band — a ring
  8. mate — a friend
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. press — a publisher
  11. track — a path
  12. press — to push
  13. mate — a partner
  14. band — a music group
  15. wind — moving air
  16. track — a song
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. track — to keep track
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wake — a trail
  24. mate — to breed

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