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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rush — hurry
  8. press — newspapers
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. cap — a hat
  11. press — to push
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a lid
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — a division
  23. press — a publisher
  24. hide — to keep secret

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