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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: object · fork · straw · press · toast · cue

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. object — a thing
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. object — an aim
  5. press — newspapers
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. toast — bread
  9. press — to push
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. cue — for pool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. object — to protest
  16. press — a publisher
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. cue — a signal

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