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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bank — for money
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rule — a law
  9. track — a song
  10. rule — government
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bank — for money
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. press — to push
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. track — a path
  24. bank — of a river

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