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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: fork · trunk · press · roll · rest · firm · mark · cue

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cue — for pool
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. roll — a list
  5. mark — a trace
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mark — a grade
  12. press — to push
  13. cue — a hint
  14. roll — a cake
  15. cue — a signal
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. firm — a company
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rest — what's left
  22. press — newspapers
  23. firm — steady
  24. press — a publisher

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