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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: present · snap · kid · press · mouse · squash · key · track

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. press — newspapers
  4. track — a path
  5. press — a publisher
  6. snap — to click
  7. kid — child
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. present — the time now
  10. key — for a lock
  11. present — a gift
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. press — to push
  18. squash — the sport
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a song
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. present — there

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