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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: nail · staff · jam · kid · kick · rash · track · press

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rash — hasty
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. press — a publisher
  5. kick — in football
  6. staff — employees
  7. track — a song
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rash — a series
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. kid — child
  12. press — to push
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. press — newspapers
  17. track — a path
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. kid — to tease
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. jam — a tight spot

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