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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. clip — for paper
  3. firm — decided
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. firm — steady
  9. clip — a video
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. press — to push
  12. last — finally
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. last — final
  18. firm — a company
  19. clip — to cut
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. last — to go on
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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