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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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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: nail · squash · press · chip · bank · fork · leaves · ruler

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bank — of a river
  7. press — newspapers
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. press — a publisher
  13. chip — to eat
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. press — to push
  18. squash — to crush
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bank — for money
  24. chip — in a computer

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