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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: rest · stand · press · fork · bear · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rest — what's left
  3. press — newspapers
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. press — to push
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fork — in a road
  14. press — a publisher
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rest — a break

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