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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 120 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: squash · season · dip · nail · mark · rush · fine · press

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. press — to push
  4. rush — hurry
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. dip — to sink
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. season — of the year
  14. press — a publisher
  15. season — in sport
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fine — all right
  19. squash — the sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. mark — a trace
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. press — newspapers
  24. nail — for a hammer

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