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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: fork · object · pop · squash · ruler · stem · press · perch

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. object — a thing
  3. squash — the sport
  4. press — a publisher
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pop — music
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pop — soda
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — the fish
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pop — to visit
  13. object — an aim
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stem — to come from
  20. press — newspapers
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. object — to protest
  24. fork — a garden 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