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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 124 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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to click
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. saw — the tool
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. press — newspapers
  7. saw — the tool
  8. vault — a safe
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. branch — a division
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. press — a publisher
  14. fine — high quality
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fine — all right
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. press — to push

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