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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 120 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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. drill — a practice
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. drill — army training
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. press — a publisher
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stem — to come from
  12. present — there
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fall — the season
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. press — newspapers
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — a gift
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. press — to push
  24. fall — to drop

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