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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.

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: game · file · press · fork · wave · stand · season · jam

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. fork — in a road
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. season — of the year
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. press — to push
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. file — a tool
  15. press — a publisher
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. game — a match
  18. season — in sport
  19. game — wild animals
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. press — newspapers
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. file — a document

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