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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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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. cap — a hat
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cap — a lid
  5. deal — to handle
  6. staff — employees
  7. firm — steady
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — newspapers
  10. cap — of ice
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — an amount
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. firm — decided
  16. press — to push
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. staff — employees
  19. wake — a trail
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. firm — a company

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