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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: press · coach · bank · track · deal · fork · roll · arm

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. roll — a list
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. fork — in a road
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. press — newspapers
  8. track — a song
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. press — to push
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bank — for money
  14. track — a path
  15. bank — of a river
  16. press — a publisher
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. track — to keep track
  21. roll — a cake
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bank — for money

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