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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 · drill · snap · ruler · press · cap · spell · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. press — newspapers
  3. spell — magic
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. press — a publisher
  8. cap — a lid
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. march — the month
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. drill — a practice
  18. march — music
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. spell — letters
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. spell — a short time
  24. press — to push

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