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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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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: press · bulb · dip · file · mark · track · band · bark

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. dip — to sink
  3. press — a publisher
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. press — to push
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mark — a trace
  11. track — a path
  12. file — a line of people
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bark — to shout
  16. band — a music group
  17. track — to keep track
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. band — a ring
  20. track — a song
  21. press — newspapers
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. file — a document

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