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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 116 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. press — newspapers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. key — for a lock
  8. sharp — clever
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — happy
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. key — in music
  15. press — to push
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. squash — the sport
  18. wake — a trail
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. key — the most important part

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