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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.

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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: track · squash · mouse · press · rest · suit · net · snap

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rest — what's left
  3. net — in sport
  4. suit — to fit
  5. track — a song
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. suit — clothes
  9. squash — to crush
  10. suit — in cards
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. net — after costs
  13. press — a publisher
  14. track — a path
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. snap — to click
  17. press — to push
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. press — newspapers
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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