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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. press — newspapers
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. press — a publisher
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. clip — to cut
  8. stem — to come from
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. firm — steady
  12. file — a tool
  13. firm — a company
  14. press — to push
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. file — a document
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. file — a line of people
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. firm — decided
  24. stem — a stem cell

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