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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 116 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
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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: suit · race · drill · pound · squash · dip · sharp · press

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. suit — to fit
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. sharp — clever
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. suit — in cards
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the sport
  12. race — humankind
  13. suit — clothes
  14. race — the arms race
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. race — a contest
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. press — a publisher
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pound — a weight
  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