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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. cap — a lid
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. pass — a permit
  8. press — to push
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. press — newspapers
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cap — a hat
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. cap — of ice
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rock — music

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