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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.

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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: pitcher · rule · straw · press · squash · staff · bowl · can

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. can — a tin
  3. rule — government
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. press — a publisher
  7. squash — the sport
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. staff — a stick
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. can — to be able to
  13. staff — employees
  14. can — a tin
  15. staff — employees
  16. rule — a law
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. press — to push
  24. bowl — a football final

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