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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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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: fork · roll · branch · fan · coach · bound · press · leaves

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fork — in a road
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. roll — a list
  7. bound — tied together
  8. roll — a cake
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bound — obliged
  11. branch — a division
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. press — newspapers
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bound — certain
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. press — to push

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