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

Word bank: leaves · deal · rest · key · rule · degree · fork · press

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rest — what's left
  4. key — the most important part
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. degree — temperature
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rule — a law
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. key — for a lock
  14. deal — to handle
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — an amount
  17. rest — a break
  18. fork — in a road
  19. rule — government
  20. key — in music
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. press — a publisher

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