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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: cue · trunk · press · nail · deal · charge · squash · scale

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. scale — in music
  5. squash — to crush
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. scale — size or range
  9. cue — a signal
  10. squash — the sport
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. charge — in control
  14. deal — to handle
  15. charge — a price
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. charge — electricity
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. press — newspapers
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. cue — for pool
  23. press — a publisher
  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