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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bear — the animal
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. press — a publisher
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. press — to push
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. season — of the year

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