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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: squash · temple · board · jam · ruler · press · kid · tube

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. press — a publisher
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. press — to push
  7. kid — to tease
  8. tube — the underground
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. squash — to crush
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. board — a committee
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. press — newspapers
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. kid — child
  24. board — to get on

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