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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. ball — a great time
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. ball — a dance
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bank — for money
  7. press — a publisher
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. lean — thin
  11. bank — for money
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. press — to push
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. lean — to bend
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. board — to get on
  21. bank — of a river
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — a committee

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