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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: straw · dip · firm · charge · press · bay · rash · game

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. game — a match
  12. charge — in control
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. game — wild animals
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. charge — a price
  21. firm — steady
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. press — to push
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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