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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 116 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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. net — after costs
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. spell — letters
  9. cue — a signal
  10. press — to push
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fork — in a road
  15. stem — to come from
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pitch — completely
  18. firm — decided
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. net — for catching
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. spell — magic
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. net — in sport

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