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

Word bank: ruler · fork · press · mark · stand · pit

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mark — a grade
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mark — a trace
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fork — in a road

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