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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: snap · calf · nail · bay · bank · pound · can · press

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. snap — to click
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. press — a publisher
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. can — a tin
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. press — to push
  15. can — a tin
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bank — for money
  18. can — to be able to
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. press — newspapers
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bank — of a river

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