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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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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: board · clip · squash · key · rush · drill

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. drill — the tool
  3. clip — a video
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. drill — a practice
  7. board — to get on
  8. key — in music
  9. drill — army training
  10. clip — for paper
  11. rush — hurry
  12. clip — to cut
  13. key — the most important part
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. key — for a lock
  18. squash — the sport

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