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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: fork · kick · press · cue · row · spring · drill · pass

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. kick — in football
  3. cue — for pool
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pass — a permit
  6. press — a publisher
  7. cue — a hint
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — the season
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. row — a line
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fork — in a road
  19. cue — a signal
  20. row — to paddle
  21. press — to push
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. spring — of water

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