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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · kick · fine · bear · fork · press

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. kick — in football
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. press — newspapers
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. fine — all right
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. press — to push

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