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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 120 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: club · fork · suit · pit · pound · plane · press · fine

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. club — for golf
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pound — a weight
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pit — a hole
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fine — all right
  10. pit — in a race
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. club — a group
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. press — newspapers
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fork — in a road
  20. suit — in cards
  21. press — to push
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. club — for dancing
  24. suit — clothes

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