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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: cap · cue · pass · content · snap · toast · hand · press

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. hand — help
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cue — a signal
  8. press — a publisher
  9. hand — in cards
  10. press — newspapers
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. content — the amount
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cap — of ice
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. content — happy
  19. toast — bread
  20. cap — a hat
  21. press — to push
  22. cue — for pool
  23. snap — to click
  24. pass — to succeed

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