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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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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: chest · drill · press · club · cue · kick · jam · toast

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. club — for dancing
  3. press — a publisher
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. cue — a hint
  6. kick — in football
  7. cue — a signal
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. drill — a practice
  10. club — for golf
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. drill — army training
  13. toast — bread
  14. press — to push
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. chest — a box
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. drill — the tool
  20. chest — of your body
  21. cue — for pool
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. chest — of your body
  24. club — a group

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