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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bank — of a river
  5. press — to push
  6. press — newspapers
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rash — a series
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — a coil
  15. deal — to handle
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fork — in a road
  19. spring — of water
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bank — for money
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rash — hasty

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