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

Word bank: mark · snap · hide · stand · race · press

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. press — a publisher
  4. race — a contest
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mark — a grade
  8. race — the arms race
  9. snap — to click
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. race — humankind
  12. mark — a trace
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. press — newspapers
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. press — to push
  18. stand — to bear

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