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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. press — newspapers
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. race — the arms race
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. race — a contest
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. present — the time now
  12. rush — hurry
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. hand — in cards
  16. race — humankind
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. press — a publisher
  21. hand — help
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. snap — to click

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