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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cue — for pool
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. snap — to click
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. face — to point toward
  9. press — to push
  10. face — to confront
  11. suit — clothes
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. cue — a signal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. cue — a hint
  18. suit — to fit
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rock — music
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — a publisher

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