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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 · ruler · jam · snap · plane · rest · sharp · wound

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. press — newspapers
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. snap — to click
  10. sharp — clever
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. wound — an injury
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. press — a publisher
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. wound — an injury

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