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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. object — to protest
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. lean — thin
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. press — to push
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. object — a thing
  15. press — newspapers
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. press — a publisher
  18. object — an aim
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lean — to bend

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