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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
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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 · press · fork · object · hand · mug · bark · scale

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. scale — size or range
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bark — to shout
  6. object — a thing
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. mug — a cup
  9. object — to protest
  10. squash — to crush
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. press — a publisher
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. press — to push
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. mug — to rob
  21. object — an aim
  22. press — newspapers
  23. scale — in music
  24. mug — a face

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