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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: temple · bear · bay · can · press · club · wake · snap

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. snap — to click
  3. press — newspapers
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. can — a tin
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. can — a tin
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. wake — a trail
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — a group
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. press — a publisher
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bear — the animal
  19. press — to push
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. can — to be able to

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