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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. press — to push
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. press — newspapers
  11. fork — in a road
  12. can — to be able to
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. squash — the sport
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. can — a tin
  18. stem — to come from
  19. can — a tin
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. press — a publisher
  22. toast — bread
  23. pound — a weight
  24. squash — the vegetable

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