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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · rule · arm · file · squash · can · press · board

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rule — a law
  3. squash — the sport
  4. press — a publisher
  5. board — to get on
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. board — a committee
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. can — a tin
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. file — a document
  14. press — to push
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rash — hasty
  17. file — a tool
  18. press — newspapers
  19. file — a line of people
  20. can — a tin
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rule — government
  23. rash — a series
  24. arm — part of the body

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