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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bass — the fish
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bulb — for light
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bass — low music
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. press — newspapers
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. branch — a division
  18. suit — to fit
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  24. pound — to hit hard

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