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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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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. tube — a container
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. chair — a leader
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. press — a publisher
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. tube — the underground

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