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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. kick — in football
  4. squash — the sport
  5. suit — to fit
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. press — a publisher
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. rash — a series
  11. snap — to click
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. press — newspapers
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. press — to push
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. suit — clothes
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. rash — hasty
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. suit — in cards

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