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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: snap · squash · press · mark · bay · hand · wake · fine

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. hand — in cards
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mark — a grade
  11. press — newspapers
  12. mark — a trace
  13. press — to push
  14. hand — help
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. press — a publisher
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. snap — to click
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wake — a trail
  23. squash — the sport
  24. fine — all right

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