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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. roll — a list
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pitch — completely
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. cue — a signal
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cue — a hint
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mine — for digging
  21. press — to push
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. press — newspapers
  24. roll — a cake

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