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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 · pop · sharp · clip · ruler · press · land · deal

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. sharp — clever
  5. pop — music
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. press — to push
  9. pop — to visit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — ground
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. clip — a video
  15. land — a country
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — for paper
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pop — soda
  24. press — a publisher

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