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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: prune · press · face · fork · drill · nail · bat · pitch

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. face — to point toward
  3. press — to push
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. drill — a practice
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fork — in a road
  16. drill — army training
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. drill — the tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bat — the animal
  23. face — to confront
  24. prune — to trim

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