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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 116 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: stand · pit · squash · press · ball · clip · coach · dip

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. ball — a dance
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ball — a great time
  5. press — newspapers
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stand — to bear
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. clip — a video
  16. pit — in a race
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pit — a hole
  23. clip — for paper
  24. press — to push

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