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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: scale · chip · straw · stick · perch · root · track · press

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. root — of a word
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. press — newspapers
  5. track — a song
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. root — the cause
  9. chip — for betting
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. scale — size or range
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. scale — in music
  15. track — a path
  16. root — of a plant
  17. press — to push
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. press — a publisher
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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