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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: snap · press · key · perch · file · craft · chip · calf

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. press — a publisher
  3. file — a line of people
  4. craft — boats
  5. file — a document
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. key — the most important part
  10. perch — the fish
  11. snap — to click
  12. file — a tool
  13. press — newspapers
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. press — to push
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. key — for a lock
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. chip — to eat
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. key — in music

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