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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · fine · squash · game · bowl · press · tear · charge

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. tear — from crying
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. press — a publisher
  6. charge — a price
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. press — to push
  11. content — the amount
  12. game — wild animals
  13. fine — high quality
  14. squash — the sport
  15. tear — to rip
  16. content — happy
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. fine — all right
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. charge — electricity
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. charge — in control

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