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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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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: fall · bark · rush · press · cue · ruler · snap · net

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rush — hurry
  8. net — for catching
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bark — to shout
  14. net — in sport
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. cue — a signal
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. net — after costs
  23. press — newspapers
  24. snap — to click

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