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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. board — a committee
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. lean — thin
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. press — to push
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. lean — to bend
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. board — to get on
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — help
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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