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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: squash · press · sharp · pitch · fan · toast · stock · craft

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. squash — to crush
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. toast — bread
  11. craft — boats
  12. press — to push
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pitch — completely
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. press — newspapers
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. sharp — clever
  20. squash — the sport
  21. craft — a skill
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stock — shares

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