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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · press · rule · firm · fork · lean

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. lean — to bend
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rule — government
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. press — newspapers
  10. firm — decided
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. lean — thin
  14. fork — in a road
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rule — a law
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company

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