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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — to crush
  4. staff — employees
  5. pop — soda
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. press — newspapers
  8. rest — what's left
  9. squash — the sport
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. shower — rain
  12. staff — employees
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. rest — what's left
  17. press — to push
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pop — to visit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rest — a break
  22. pop — music
  23. staff — a stick
  24. sharp — clever

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