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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. key — in music
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. key — the most important part
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bulb — for light
  9. key — for a lock
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bark — to shout
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. plane — a tool
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. press — to push
  24. bark — of a tree

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