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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · key · pitcher · press · fan · squash

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. squash — the sport
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. squash — to crush
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. press — a publisher
  17. key — the most important part
  18. press — newspapers

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