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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stem — to come from
  3. press — newspapers
  4. deal — to handle
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. key — the most important part
  12. land — to come down
  13. press — a publisher
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. land — ground
  16. key — in music
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. press — to push
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. key — for a lock
  22. land — a country
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. leaves — to go away

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