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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. fine — all right
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. file — a tool
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mug — a face
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. file — a line of people
  11. vault — a safe
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. file — a document
  16. press — newspapers
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. press — to push
  19. mug — a cup
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. fine — high quality
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. straw — a straw man

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