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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: lean · press · kick · fork · cell · pass · can · pound

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. can — a tin
  12. lean — thin
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. cell — in biology
  20. lean — to bend
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pass — a permit
  23. kick — in football
  24. pass — to spend time

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