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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. suit — in cards
  3. board — a committee
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. last — finally
  6. board — to get on
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. press — to push
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. press — newspapers
  12. last — to go on
  13. press — a publisher
  14. last — final
  15. bear — the animal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — to fit
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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