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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: squash · scale · net · press · rock · jam · spell · drill

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. net — for catching
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. scale — in music
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — the sport
  11. press — newspapers
  12. drill — a practice
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. net — in sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. spell — a short time
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. scale — size or range
  22. net — after costs
  23. press — to push
  24. drill — army training

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