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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. degree — an amount
  4. fine — all right
  5. press — newspapers
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rule — a law
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. press — to push
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. can — a tin
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fine — high quality
  19. can — a tin
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. degree — from a university

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