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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 120 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. pop — to visit
  3. drill — army training
  4. rush — hurry
  5. press — newspapers
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. drill — the tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. perch — the fish
  10. ground — the earth
  11. press — to push
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pop — soda
  14. staff — employees
  15. ground — a position
  16. press — a publisher
  17. snap — to click
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pop — music
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. ground — crushed
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. staff — a stick
  24. drill — a practice

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