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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. ________________ 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. pitch — a sales talk
  3. club — for golf
  4. press — to push
  5. snap — to click
  6. root — the cause
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cap — a lid
  9. scale — size or range
  10. root — of a word
  11. scale — in music
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. craft — boats
  17. press — a publisher
  18. root — of a plant
  19. craft — a skill
  20. club — a group
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. club — for dancing
  24. 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