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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: press · rock · fork · ground · pitch · jam · board · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. ground — the earth
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. rock — a stone
  8. board — to get on
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. fork — in a road
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pitch — completely
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. ground — a position
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fork — a garden tool

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