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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bank — for money
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. press — a publisher
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bank — of a river
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. staff — employees
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bank — for money
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. plane — a tool
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. plane — an aircraft

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