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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 124 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. press — to push
  4. lean — to bend
  5. land — a country
  6. plane — a tool
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. firm — a company
  11. press — newspapers
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. firm — steady
  14. stand — to bear
  15. land — ground
  16. charge — in control
  17. press — a publisher
  18. firm — decided
  19. lean — thin
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. land — to come down
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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