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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. press — a publisher
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. rush — hurry
  6. row — to paddle
  7. net — in sport
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. net — after costs
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. press — to push
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. row — a line
  16. net — for catching
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. press — newspapers
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. toast — bread

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