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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. charge — in control
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. swing — music
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mark — a trace
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. press — newspapers
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. band — a music group
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. press — to push
  17. swing — in golf
  18. snap — to click
  19. mark — a grade
  20. charge — electricity
  21. band — a ring
  22. hand — in cards
  23. press — a publisher
  24. charge — a price

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