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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: bulb · press · saw · rush · row · capital · track · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. saw — the tool
  3. track — a path
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bulb — for light
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — money
  11. press — to push
  12. saw — the tool
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. row — to paddle
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. row — a line
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bulb — for light

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