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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. press — to push
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. squash — to crush
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. sharp — clever
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. toast — bread
  18. press — a publisher
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. press — newspapers
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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