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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 120 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
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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: dip · race · ball · lie · suit · press · field · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. race — humankind
  4. press — to push
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — clothes
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. field — for sport
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. field — farmland
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. lie — to recline
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — a contest
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. suit — to fit
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — newspapers
  23. field — a subject
  24. ball — a dance

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