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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.

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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: can · press · wax · firm · pop · mark · track · pound

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. firm — a company
  3. pop — soda
  4. firm — decided
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. track — to keep track
  7. firm — steady
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. press — a publisher
  10. can — a tin
  11. pop — music
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. can — a tin
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pop — to visit
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. track — a song
  18. press — newspapers
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. wax — to grow
  21. track — a path
  22. can — to be able to
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — a trace

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