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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. press — a publisher
  4. squash — the sport
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. charge — a price
  10. press — to push
  11. charge — in control
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. scale — in music
  16. charge — electricity
  17. press — newspapers
  18. scale — size or range
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pitch — completely
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pitch — a sports field

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