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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bound — obliged
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bound — tied together
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. fork — in a road
  8. press — to push
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. press — a publisher
  11. chip — to eat
  12. fine — all right
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. tube — the underground
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. fine — high quality
  18. chip — for betting
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bound — certain
  21. tube — a container
  22. rush — hurry
  23. press — newspapers
  24. fine — a penalty

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