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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.

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: squash · field · nail · craft · object · press · content · bowl

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. field — farmland
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. object — an aim
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. object — a thing
  11. craft — boats
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. squash — the sport
  15. object — to protest
  16. press — newspapers
  17. content — happy
  18. field — for sport
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. field — a subject
  23. content — the amount
  24. squash — to crush

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