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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. stand — to bear
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. object — an aim
  6. drill — a practice
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. drill — army training
  12. object — a thing
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. drill — the tool
  15. press — newspapers
  16. plane — a tool
  17. press — to push
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. press — a publisher
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wake — a trail
  23. object — to protest
  24. stand — on your feet

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