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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: jam · saw · press · court · hide · staff · squash · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  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 hole
  3. squash — the sport
  4. staff — a stick
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. staff — employees
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. saw — the tool
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. press — a publisher
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. court — of a king
  15. saw — the tool
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. press — newspapers
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. court — of law
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. staff — employees
  23. court — for sport
  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