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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — clothes
  4. lie — to recline
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. press — a publisher
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — of water
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. press — to push
  13. spring — the season
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. suit — to fit
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. press — newspapers
  24. coach — a trainer

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