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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.

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: bulb · bark · fine · press · race · coach · pitcher · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. race — humankind
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bark — to shout
  7. race — the arms race
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fine — all right
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. press — to push
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. race — a contest
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fine — a penalty

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