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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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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 · bay · deal · kick · land · leaves · fork · rash

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rash — a series
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. land — a country
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. deal — to handle
  10. fork — in a road
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. land — to come down
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. press — a publisher
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. press — to push
  19. rash — hasty
  20. land — ground
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. kick — in football
  24. fork — a garden tool

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