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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. press — newspapers
  4. object — to protest
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. object — an aim
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — a song
  15. press — a publisher
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. snap — to click
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. object — a thing
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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