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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fork · object · chip · lean · pitcher · saw · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. chip — to eat
  3. lean — thin
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. object — an aim
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. press — newspapers
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. lean — to bend
  12. press — to push
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. chip — for betting
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. object — to protest
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. object — a thing
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lean — to rest against

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