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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: pass · press · fork · cap · ruler · spell · snap · tube

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. pass — a permit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tube — a container
  6. cap — of ice
  7. spell — magic
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fork — in a road
  18. press — to push
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — letters
  21. press — newspapers
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cap — a hat

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