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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 116 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. sharp — clever
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. snap — to click
  11. can — a tin
  12. press — newspapers
  13. can — a tin
  14. press — a publisher
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. press — to push
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. fan — a supporter

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