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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · file · present · straw · calf · press

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. 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. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. present — there
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. file — a tool
  9. press — to push
  10. mate — to breed
  11. present — a gift
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. mate — a friend
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. mate — a partner
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a line of people
  18. 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