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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · snap · spell · pop · rash · stock · club · pitcher

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. snap — to click
  3. press — to push
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. press — a publisher
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. spell — letters
  10. club — a group
  11. pop — music
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. club — for golf
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pop — to visit
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. stock — goods
  23. pop — soda
  24. pitcher — a jug

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