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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. can — a tin
  3. press — a publisher
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. craft — boats
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. snap — to click
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. can — to be able to
  12. press — to push
  13. vault — a safe
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — to crush
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. can — a tin
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. press — newspapers
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. squash — the vegetable

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