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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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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: lie · pound · cue · press · chair · fork · branch · mine

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. lie — to recline
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. chair — a leader
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. fork — in a road
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. mine — for digging
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. cue — for pool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lie — an untruth

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