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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: press · fine · rest · fork · cue · suit · trunk · net

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. net — after costs
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rest — a break
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fine — all right
  10. press — a publisher
  11. rest — what's left
  12. net — for catching
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cue — a hint
  16. net — in sport
  17. press — newspapers
  18. suit — clothes
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. press — to push
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fine — high quality
  23. cue — for pool
  24. trunk — of a tree

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