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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.

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: straw · key · press · suit · dip · rest · hide · pop

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pop — soda
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. suit — in cards
  5. key — in music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. press — a publisher
  9. key — for a lock
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rest — what's left
  14. press — newspapers
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rest — a break
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pop — music
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. press — to push
  24. pop — to visit

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