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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: ball · board · scale · track · mark · mug · press · safe

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. board — a committee
  5. press — to push
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. track — to keep track
  11. scale — in music
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. press — newspapers
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ball — a great time
  19. board — to get on
  20. mark — a grade
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mark — a trace
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. scale — size or range

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