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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. can — a tin
  3. press — to push
  4. mate — to breed
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. can — a tin
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. press — a publisher
  9. mate — a friend
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. stem — to come from
  15. snap — to click
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mate — a partner
  18. press — newspapers
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — a safe
  21. can — to be able to
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. stem — a stem cell

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