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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rule — a law
  3. press — a publisher
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rule — government
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. foot — a measure
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. press — newspapers
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. press — to push
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bulb — for light
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bulb — for light
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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