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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. file — a line of people
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. charge — electricity
  8. file — a document
  9. press — a publisher
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. season — in sport
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. charge — a price
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. press — to push
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. squash — the sport
  20. charge — in control
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. file — a tool
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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