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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.

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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pass — a permit
  4. snap — to click
  5. date — the fruit
  6. press — to push
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pound — a weight
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. chip — for betting
  18. snap — to snap out of it

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