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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · press · nail · clip · cell · charge

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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. charge — in control
  3. press — newspapers
  4. clip — to cut
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. press — to push
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — a phone
  12. press — a publisher
  13. snap — to click
  14. clip — for paper
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. clip — a video
  18. 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