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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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468
Word bank
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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. press — newspapers
  6. file — a line of people
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. file — a document
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. press — to push
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. present — a gift
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mark — a trace
  18. present — there
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mark — a grade
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. file — a tool
  24. present — the time now

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