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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: scale · press · saw · pass · straw · club · track · can

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. club — for dancing
  3. press — a publisher
  4. can — to be able to
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. scale — in music
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. scale — size or range
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. track — a song
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pass — a permit
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. club — a group
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. press — newspapers
  20. track — a path
  21. press — to push
  22. club — for golf
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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