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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
468
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: snap · root · press · saw · chip · spell · shower · ball

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. saw — the tool
  7. shower — to wash
  8. spell — a short time
  9. snap — to click
  10. press — newspapers
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. ball — a dance
  13. root — the cause
  14. spell — letters
  15. root — of a plant
  16. press — to push
  17. chip — to eat
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. root — of a word
  20. shower — rain
  21. press — a publisher
  22. spell — magic
  23. chip — for betting
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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