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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
468
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: branch · temple · bulb · squash · saw · cabinet · press · rush

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. press — to push
  3. squash — to crush
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bulb — for light
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. press — newspapers
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rush — hurry
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. press — a publisher
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. branch — a division
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. saw — the tool

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