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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · scale · stick · pound · game · press · dip · drill

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — in music
  6. pound — a weight
  7. drill — army training
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. dip — to sink
  11. game — wild animals
  12. press — a publisher
  13. drill — a practice
  14. track — a path
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. track — a song
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. game — a match
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — to push
  24. track — to keep track

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