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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. press — to push
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bear — the animal
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. press — a publisher
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pop — to visit
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pop — music
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pitch — completely
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pop — soda

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