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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 120 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: wave · pound · wind · tube · track · press · craft · ruler

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. press — newspapers
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. track — a song
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pound — a weight
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. craft — boats
  17. press — to push
  18. track — a path
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. wind — moving air
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. track — to keep track

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