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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: fork · club · press · net · rush · cabinet · racket · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. club — a group
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. net — after costs
  11. rush — hurry
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. club — for golf
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. fork — in a road
  17. press — a publisher
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. club — for dancing
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. cabinet — ministers

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