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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. press — newspapers
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. court — of a king
  5. pitch — completely
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. chest — of your body
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. chest — of your body
  10. court — of law
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. court — for sport
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. chest — a box
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. root — the cause
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. lie — to recline
  22. press — to push
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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