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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pit — a hole
  4. press — newspapers
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. charge — in control
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. press — a publisher
  14. snap — to click
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. charge — electricity
  22. press — to push
  23. charge — a price
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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