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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. press — a publisher
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fall — to drop
  6. track — a path
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. press — to push
  9. pit — a hole
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. press — newspapers
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fall — the season
  14. track — a song
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chip — to eat
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. track — to keep track
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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