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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.

Make a worksheet

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: date · mouse · pit · safe · press · squash

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pit — a hole
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. squash — to crush
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. press — a publisher
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. press — to push
  13. pit — in a race
  14. press — newspapers
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pit — a fruit stone

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