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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: net · pound · drill · press · snap · fine · chest · coach

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. drill — a practice
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pound — a weight
  6. chest — of your body
  7. snap — to click
  8. press — to push
  9. drill — army training
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — after costs
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. press — a publisher
  16. drill — the tool
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. chest — a box
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. net — for catching
  22. fine — all right
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. pound — for dogs

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