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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rest — a break
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. press — a publisher
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. shower — rain
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. rest — what's left
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. press — to push
  23. pass — a permit
  24. press — newspapers

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