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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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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: deal · squash · mate · present · pop · press · kid · toast

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. deal — to handle
  6. kid — child
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mate — a partner
  9. present — there
  10. press — to push
  11. squash — the sport
  12. mate — a friend
  13. toast — bread
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pop — soda
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. present — the time now
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. present — a gift
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. kid — to tease
  22. mate — to breed
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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