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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
468
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: fine · track · stick · game · wind · plane · roll · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. roll — a cake
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. press — a publisher
  7. track — a song
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. track — to keep track
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a match
  15. plane — a tool
  16. press — to push
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. wind — moving air
  19. roll — a list
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. track — a path
  22. fine — high quality
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wind — moving air

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