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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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468
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: fork · press · leaves · firm · dip · prune · bat · pass

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. press — a publisher
  3. pass — a permit
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. dip — to sink
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. firm — steady
  12. bat — the animal
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — to push
  15. firm — decided
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. prune — to trim
  20. firm — a company
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bat — in an idiom

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