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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: squash · charge · cold · kick · ball · mouse · press · cue

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. charge — a price
  3. press — a publisher
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cold — not warm
  7. press — newspapers
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. ball — a dance
  11. squash — the sport
  12. charge — in control
  13. press — to push
  14. kick — in football
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ball — a great time
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cold — an illness
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cold — the Cold War

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