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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: club · mate · clip · press · coach · object · staff · track

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mate — a partner
  4. club — for dancing
  5. track — to keep track
  6. club — a group
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. staff — employees
  9. club — for golf
  10. mate — to breed
  11. object — a thing
  12. clip — to cut
  13. object — an aim
  14. clip — a video
  15. mate — a friend
  16. press — a publisher
  17. track — a path
  18. object — to protest
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. staff — a stick
  21. track — a song
  22. staff — employees
  23. press — to push
  24. clip — for paper

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