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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 116 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: stick · root · last · charge · straw · bay · can · press

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. last — finally
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. charge — a price
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. press — newspapers
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. last — to go on
  14. root — of a plant
  15. last — final
  16. charge — in control
  17. root — the cause
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. root — of a word
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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