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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 · snap · spell · stick · coach · board · bore · sharp

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bore — to tire
  4. snap — to click
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. spell — letters
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bore — to drill
  9. press — to push
  10. sharp — clever
  11. board — a committee
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. press — newspapers
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. board — to get on
  21. spell — magic
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. press — a publisher

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