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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: press · track · rule · stand · lean · ball · pop · pound

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. track — a path
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. lean — thin
  7. pop — soda
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — newspapers
  10. lean — to bend
  11. track — to keep track
  12. rule — government
  13. pop — music
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pop — to visit
  22. press — to push
  23. track — a song
  24. rule — a law

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