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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
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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: press · trunk · squash · ball · mug · chip · swing · mark

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. ball — a dance
  4. chip — for betting
  5. squash — to crush
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. swing — music
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. press — a publisher
  14. mug — a face
  15. chip — to eat
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. swing — in golf
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. swing — to play on
  23. squash — the sport
  24. ball — a great time

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