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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: fall · press · squash · pit · charge · pound · rock · nail

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. charge — a price
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. charge — electricity
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. squash — the sport
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. press — newspapers
  13. fall — the season
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pound — a weight
  18. press — a publisher
  19. squash — to crush
  20. charge — in control
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. fall — to drop
  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