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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 120 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. present — there
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. present — the time now
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lean — to bend
  13. present — a gift
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — to push
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. lean — thin
  21. press — a publisher
  22. branch — a division
  23. mark — a trace
  24. fork — in a road

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