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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.

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: pop · leaves · track · press · kick · wake · perch · lean

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. track — a song
  15. kick — in football
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. perch — the fish
  20. wake — a trail
  21. lean — to bend
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  24. press — newspapers

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