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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: spell · snap · press · wind · can · mug · ruler · shower

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. mug — to rob
  3. spell — letters
  4. press — a publisher
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. spell — magic
  8. can — to be able to
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. press — newspapers
  11. spell — a short time
  12. snap — to click
  13. mug — a cup
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. press — to push
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — rain
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mug — a face
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. wind — moving air
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wind — moving air

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