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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: cue · saw · wind · bark · press · leaves · prune · fork

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. press — newspapers
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. press — a publisher
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. cue — a signal
  9. press — to push
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. fork — in a road
  14. wind — moving air
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. wind — moving air
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. cue — for pool
  20. prune — to trim
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. prune — to trim

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