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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 120 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. fine — all right
  5. press — to push
  6. press — newspapers
  7. dip — to sink
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. press — a publisher
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fine — high quality
  17. prune — to trim
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. court — for sport
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. court — of a king
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. court — of law

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