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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: race · press · squash · drill · deal · mate · rush · lash

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. drill — army training
  4. deal — to handle
  5. squash — to crush
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. drill — a practice
  8. press — newspapers
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. squash — the sport
  11. drill — the tool
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. mate — a partner
  15. race — a contest
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. race — the arms race
  21. mate — a friend
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. race — humankind
  24. deal — a big deal

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