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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the sport
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bore — to drill
  9. press — to push
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. press — a publisher
  15. fine — all right
  16. press — newspapers
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. rush — hurry
  19. ground — the earth
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. sharp — clever
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ground — a position

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