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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: saw · squash · kid · rush · suit · stand · fork · press

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. kid — child
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. saw — the tool
  6. kid — to tease
  7. stand — to bear
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. squash — the sport
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. press — newspapers
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. suit — in cards
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fork — in a road
  24. saw — the tool

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