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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 120 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: wave · face · press · dip · mate · snap · mouse · game

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. press — newspapers
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. press — to push
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. mate — to breed
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. face — to point toward
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mate — a partner
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. face — part of the head
  14. press — a publisher
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. game — a match
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. game — wild animals
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mate — a friend
  22. snap — to click
  23. dip — to sink
  24. face — to confront

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