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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. press — to push
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. last — to go on
  6. press — a publisher
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. dip — to sink
  12. last — finally
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. last — final
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. press — newspapers
  21. stock — shares
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. squash — to crush

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