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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 124 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. object — a thing
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cap — of ice
  5. suit — clothes
  6. lie — to recline
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. chest — a box
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. chest — of your body
  13. press — newspapers
  14. cap — a hat
  15. suit — to fit
  16. chest — of your body
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. roll — a cake
  19. press — to push
  20. object — an aim
  21. press — a publisher
  22. cap — a lid
  23. roll — a list
  24. object — to protest

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