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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. mug — a cup
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mug — a face
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. race — humankind
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. race — the arms race
  15. suit — clothes
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. race — a contest
  20. mug — to rob
  21. cell — a phone
  22. press — newspapers
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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