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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: press · mark · tube · snap · perch · kick · sharp · cue

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. mark — a grade
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. press — a publisher
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. press — newspapers
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mark — a trace
  12. perch — the fish
  13. cue — a hint
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. sharp — clever
  18. tube — the underground
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to click
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. press — to push

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