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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. object — to protest
  6. clip — a video
  7. object — a thing
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. object — an aim
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. dip — to sink
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. clip — for paper
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. ball — a great time
  24. clip — to cut

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