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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: track · hand · suit · bound · craft · lean · ball · press

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. lean — thin
  3. press — newspapers
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. press — a publisher
  8. hand — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. craft — boats
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. craft — a skill
  14. suit — clothes
  15. hand — help
  16. suit — in cards
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — tied together
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. track — a path
  22. bound — obliged
  23. track — a song
  24. ball — a dance

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