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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: perch · root · fork · cue · branch · press · wake · cabinet

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. branch — a division
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. root — the cause
  10. cue — a hint
  11. root — of a word
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cue — a signal
  15. press — newspapers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. press — to push
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. root — of a plant
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. cue — for pool
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. perch — the fish

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