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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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. charge — a price
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — a subject
  5. press — newspapers
  6. charge — in control
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hand — in cards
  10. rush — hurry
  11. season — of the year
  12. charge — electricity
  13. hand — help
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. season — in sport
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. press — to push
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. field — for sport
  21. press — a publisher
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pitcher — a jug

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