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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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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 · can · nail · lie · mug · press · race · arm

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mug — a cup
  7. race — the arms race
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. race — a contest
  10. press — newspapers
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. lie — to recline
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. race — humankind
  16. can — a tin
  17. mug — a face
  18. press — to push
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. can — a tin
  21. mug — to rob
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. press — a publisher
  24. snap — to click

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