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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: press · pit · snap · bear · rush · ground · pop · temple

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. snap — to click
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. press — to push
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — a position
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pop — music
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pit — a hole

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