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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: file · suit · pit · coach · press · scale · key · squash

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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 — a publisher
  2. key — in music
  3. suit — to fit
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. key — for a lock
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. squash — the sport
  11. pit — a hole
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. key — the most important part
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. file — a tool
  16. pit — in a race
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. suit — in cards
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a document
  22. suit — clothes
  23. squash — to crush
  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