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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: kid · fork · fan · leaves · mate · cabinet · press · pitch

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. press — to push
  4. kid — child
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. kid — to tease
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. press — newspapers
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mate — a partner
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. mate — to breed
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. press — a publisher
  22. mate — a friend
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fan — a supporter

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