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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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. key — for a lock
  3. sharp — clever
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. key — the most important part
  11. firm — decided
  12. band — a ring
  13. snap — to click
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a music group
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. mate — to breed
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. key — in music
  20. firm — steady
  21. mate — a friend
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. press — to push
  24. firm — a company

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