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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. pop — to visit
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. fine — high quality
  8. press — to push
  9. mate — a partner
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. pop — music
  12. press — a publisher
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mate — a friend
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. fine — all right
  22. mate — to breed
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pop — soda

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