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

Word bank: pit · squash · stick · press · drill · firm

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. firm — a company
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. squash — the sport
  7. pit — in a race
  8. drill — a practice
  9. squash — to crush
  10. press — to push
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. firm — steady
  13. drill — army training
  14. pit — a hole
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. firm — decided
  17. drill — the tool
  18. press — a publisher

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