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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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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: suit · lie · lean · leaves · fork · press · degree · rule

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. degree — an amount
  4. rule — government
  5. press — a publisher
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. lean — thin
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. degree — from a university
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fork — in a road
  14. degree — temperature
  15. rule — a law
  16. lean — to bend
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. press — to push
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. press — newspapers
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. suit — to fit

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