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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. club — for dancing
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. press — to push
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. press — newspapers
  10. last — final
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. last — finally
  15. chair — a leader
  16. club — for golf
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. last — to go on
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. club — a group
  24. dip — to sink

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