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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — to push
  5. press — a publisher
  6. kid — to tease
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. drill — army training
  9. chest — of your body
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. snap — to click
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. kid — child
  22. pitch — completely
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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