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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fine · fork · branch · press · saw · rule · file · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rule — a law
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. file — a document
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rule — government
  9. saw — the tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. press — newspapers
  15. branch — a division
  16. rock — music
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. fork — in a road
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — to push
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. file — a 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