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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. present — there
  5. season — of the year
  6. press — newspapers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. press — to push
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. press — a publisher
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. present — a gift
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. present — the time now
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — in sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — with a leg

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