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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: cap · track · swing · press · deal · mate · trunk · bowl

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. track — a song
  4. swing — to play on
  5. cap — a lid
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. press — newspapers
  8. swing — music
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. swing — in golf
  13. deal — to handle
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. mate — to breed
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. track — to keep track
  23. mate — a friend
  24. track — a path

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