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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: file · perch · snap · craft · press · mouse · nail · rush

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. press — newspapers
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. file — a document
  9. snap — to click
  10. rush — hurry
  11. craft — a skill
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. press — to push
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. file — a line of people
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. craft — boats
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. file — a tool
  23. press — a publisher
  24. perch — the fish

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