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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. press — a publisher
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pitch — completely
  7. snap — to click
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. board — a committee
  12. press — newspapers
  13. sharp — clever
  14. press — to push
  15. rock — music
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. board — to get on

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