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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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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: mark · rush · board · stock · snap · press · mate · pass

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. stock — shares
  3. press — a publisher
  4. mark — a grade
  5. board — a committee
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mate — to breed
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. press — to push
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stock — goods
  23. mate — a friend
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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