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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: lie · row · board · rush · cue · straw · press · foot

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rush — hurry
  7. board — to get on
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. press — newspapers
  11. foot — a measure
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. row — a line
  16. cue — for pool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. board — a committee
  19. row — to paddle
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. press — a publisher
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. press — to push

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