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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: bark · pitch · press · rush · fine · fork · bulb · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. press — to push
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pitch — completely
  15. fine — all right
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bulb — for light
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bark — to shout
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. rush — to hurry

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