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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. mark — a trace
  4. press — a publisher
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rock — music
  7. hand — help
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fine — all right
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pitch — completely
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. kick — in football
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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