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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. press — a publisher
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. press — to push
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. hand — in cards
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. hand — help
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pass — a permit
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. press — newspapers
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. scale — in music
  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