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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. cue — a hint
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — the animal
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. clip — for paper
  12. last — finally
  13. cue — for pool
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. clip — a video
  17. last — to go on
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. last — final
  20. ground — crushed
  21. clip — to cut
  22. ground — a position
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. press — to push

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