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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pop — soda
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. press — to push
  7. lean — to bend
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. press — newspapers
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — there
  13. perch — the fish
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. suit — to fit
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. present — a gift
  19. press — a publisher
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mark — a trace
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — music
  24. lean — thin

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