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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. snap — to click
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. lean — to bend
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. press — newspapers
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. deal — to handle
  11. board — a committee
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. board — to get on
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lean — thin
  19. kick — in football
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wave — with your hand

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