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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: rule · track · kick · press · swing · scale · field · lean

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. field — farmland
  4. track — to keep track
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. lean — thin
  7. rule — government
  8. swing — music
  9. press — a publisher
  10. track — a path
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. field — for sport
  14. kick — in football
  15. swing — to play on
  16. scale — size or range
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. field — a subject
  20. track — a song
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rule — a law
  23. press — to push
  24. swing — in golf

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