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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 · foot · press · calf · plane · game · bound · pop

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bound — obliged
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bound — certain
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. plane — a tool
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pop — music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. game — a match
  12. foot — a measure
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bound — tied together
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. press — to push
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. track — a song
  20. pop — soda
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. foot — the bottom

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