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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: rock · cue · patient · temple · press · fork · pit · trunk

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. press — newspapers
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cue — a hint
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. rock — music
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fork — in a road
  20. press — to push
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. rock — a stone
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pit — in a race

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