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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. press — newspapers
  11. track — to keep track
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. lie — to recline
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. press — a publisher
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. date — the fruit
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. press — to push
  22. track — a path
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. track — a song

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