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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.

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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rule — a law
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. saw — the tool
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. press — to push
  20. rule — government
  21. lean — thin
  22. kid — to tease
  23. kid — child
  24. rule — to rule out

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