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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 · stock · safe · press · bore · arm · rash · cap

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. press — newspapers
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. cap — of ice
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cap — a lid
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. cap — a hat
  15. press — to push
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — to drill
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. stock — goods
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. rash — a series
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stock — shares
  24. rash — hasty

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