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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 120 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: snap · pound · swing · nail · sharp · pass · press · wake

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. pound — a weight
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. press — a publisher
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. sharp — clever
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. swing — in golf
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. snap — to click
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. press — to push
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. swing — to play on
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. pass — to spend time

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