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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. press — newspapers
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. press — to push
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rule — government
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. clip — to cut
  12. lean — thin
  13. stand — to bear
  14. clip — for paper
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. clip — a video
  20. press — a publisher
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rule — a law
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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