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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
468
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: leaves · march · firm · clip · scale · bulb · fork · press

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. press — newspapers
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. scale — size or range
  7. march — the month
  8. press — a publisher
  9. clip — a video
  10. firm — a company
  11. scale — in music
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. press — to push
  16. clip — for paper
  17. bulb — for light
  18. clip — to cut
  19. march — music
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. march — the month
  24. bulb — of a plant

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