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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 120 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. press — newspapers
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pound — a weight
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. scale — in music
  17. press — to push
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. tube — a container
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. scale — size or range
  23. rest — what's left
  24. tube — the underground

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