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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: jam · nail · snap · club · bear · toast · press · root

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. press — to push
  5. bear — the animal
  6. press — a publisher
  7. root — of a word
  8. club — a group
  9. toast — bread
  10. root — of a plant
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. press — newspapers
  16. root — the cause
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. club — for dancing
  19. snap — to click
  20. bear — the animal
  21. club — for golf
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. nail — on a finger

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