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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: present · arm · current · pound · leaves · stand · straw · press

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. present — there
  4. stand — to bear
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. current — of water
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. present — a gift
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pound — a weight
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. press — to push
  15. current — electric
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. present — the time now
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. press — newspapers
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. press — a publisher
  24. current — happening 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