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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
468
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: shower · key · lie · net · press · coach · safe · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. key — in music
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. net — for catching
  8. lie — to recline
  9. press — to push
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. squash — the sport
  13. shower — rain
  14. key — the most important part
  15. net — after costs
  16. shower — to wash
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. squash — to crush
  19. key — for a lock
  20. press — newspapers
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. net — in sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. press — a publisher

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