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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
468
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: lean · bore · bowl · rock · press · stand · straw · dip

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. press — to push
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stand — to bear
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rock — music
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. lean — to bend
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stand — for spectators

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