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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 drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. stock — shares
  3. wax — to grow
  4. stock — goods
  5. press — to push
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bank — for money
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. pound — a weight
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bank — of a river
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bank — for money
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. press — newspapers

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