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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: nail · calf · press · snap · rash · wake · cabinet · patient

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rash — a series
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. press — newspapers
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rash — hasty
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. snap — to click
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. calf — of the leg

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