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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. mark — a trace
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mark — a grade
  6. snap — to click
  7. drill — a practice
  8. ground — the earth
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. press — to push
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ground — a position
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. ground — crushed
  20. suit — to fit
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. drill — the tool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. drill — army training

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