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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: roll · snap · band · mouse · press · pit · deal · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a music group
  6. press — a publisher
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. roll — a list
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. deal — to handle
  14. saw — the tool
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. press — to push
  18. roll — a cake
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. pit — a hole

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