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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.

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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 · season · deal · dip · rock · clip · press · file

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rock — a stone
  5. press — a publisher
  6. deal — to handle
  7. dip — to sink
  8. squash — to crush
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. file — a line of people
  12. season — in sport
  13. clip — a video
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rock — music
  17. season — of the year
  18. squash — the sport
  19. file — a document
  20. clip — for paper
  21. file — a tool
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rock — to move gently

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