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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: rest · squash · nail · calf · charge · roll · bat · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bat — the animal
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — to crush
  10. press — to push
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. press — a publisher
  13. charge — in control
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. charge — electricity
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. charge — a price
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. roll — a list
  23. rest — what's left
  24. squash — the vegetable

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