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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bound — tied together
  4. press — a publisher
  5. season — in sport
  6. bound — certain
  7. press — to push
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bound — obliged
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. season — of the year
  15. press — newspapers
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. perch — for a bird

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