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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: nail · snap · cabinet · wave · capital · press · lie · leaves

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. snap — to click
  3. capital — a city
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. press — newspapers
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lie — to recline
  13. press — a publisher
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. press — to push
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — money
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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