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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pop — soda
  7. press — newspapers
  8. degree — from a university
  9. can — a tin
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. degree — temperature
  14. fine — high quality
  15. drill — a practice
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. press — to push
  18. drill — army training
  19. can — a tin
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. can — to be able to
  22. degree — an amount
  23. fine — all right
  24. calf — of the leg

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