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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. press — a publisher
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. press — newspapers
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. press — to push
  18. racket — for tennis

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