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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · ball · press · file · chip · coach · fan · plane

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. press — newspapers
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. ball — a dance
  6. file — a document
  7. chip — to eat
  8. file — a tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. ball — a great time
  14. file — a line of people
  15. snap — to click
  16. plane — a tool
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. plane — in geometry

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