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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rush — hurry
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. rest — a break
  11. fall — to drop
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fall — to drop
  18. press — to push
  19. rock — music
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — a company
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bear — the animal

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