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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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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 · fine · snap · hand · rash · bulb · lie · last

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rash — a series
  5. last — finally
  6. bulb — for light
  7. press — to push
  8. fine — high quality
  9. last — to go on
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. press — newspapers
  12. hand — in cards
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. lie — to recline
  20. hand — help
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. last — final

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