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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ground — a position
  6. rest — a break
  7. shower — to wash
  8. ground — the earth
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. shower — rain
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. toast — bread
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pop — music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. press — to push
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pop — soda
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — the sport

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