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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: mate · nail · key · squash · bore · wake · press · kick

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. press — to push
  5. mate — to breed
  6. kick — in football
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. key — in music
  9. press — a publisher
  10. key — the most important part
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bore — to drill
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bore — to tire
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mate — a friend
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bore — gave birth

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