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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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. fine — all right
  3. press — newspapers
  4. roll — a list
  5. last — to go on
  6. press — a publisher
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. roll — a cake
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. press — to push
  14. stock — goods
  15. fine — high quality
  16. stock — shares
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. snap — to click
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. object — an aim
  23. last — finally
  24. last — final

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