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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.

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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. content — happy
  4. staff — employees
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. press — a publisher
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. staff — employees
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. content — the amount
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wake — a trail
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. staff — a stick
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. snap — to click
  21. press — to push
  22. track — a song
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. press — newspapers

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