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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. press — a publisher
  3. tube — a container
  4. spell — letters
  5. current — happening now
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. press — newspapers
  9. current — of water
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — magic
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rock — a stone
  15. current — electric
  16. rock — music
  17. fork — in a road
  18. press — to push

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