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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. ground — a position
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. press — newspapers
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. press — a publisher
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pit — a hole
  14. snap — to click
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pit — in a race
  18. 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