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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rush — hurry
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — to push
  8. key — the most important part
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. key — in music
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. branch — a division
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. sharp — clever
  22. key — for a lock
  23. swing — music
  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