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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rest — a break
  5. pop — music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pop — soda
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — to push
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. roll — a cake
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pop — to visit
  18. foot — a measure
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. press — a publisher
  24. temple — side of the head

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