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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 · toast · rash · key · craft · pitcher · clip · snap

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  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. press — newspapers
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. press — to push
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. clip — for paper
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rash — hasty
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. snap — to click
  18. press — a publisher
  19. toast — bread
  20. key — in music
  21. clip — to cut
  22. key — the most important part
  23. clip — a video
  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