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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 120 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: lie · rush · fan · ball · squash · clip · charge · press

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. press — newspapers
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. charge — a price
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. clip — to cut
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. clip — for paper
  11. ball — a great time
  12. squash — to crush
  13. lie — to recline
  14. charge — electricity
  15. squash — the sport
  16. ball — a dance
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. charge — in control
  20. clip — a video
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rush — a thrill

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