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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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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: pass · spell · nail · press · shower · swing · snap · root

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. spell — magic
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. shower — rain
  8. swing — music
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — newspapers
  11. snap — to click
  12. shower — to wash
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. root — of a word
  15. press — to push
  16. root — the cause
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pass — a permit
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. root — of a plant
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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