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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 120 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. degree — an amount
  3. object — to protest
  4. press — newspapers
  5. object — a thing
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. board — to get on
  8. object — an aim
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. press — to push
  12. fine — all right
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. degree — temperature
  15. board — a committee
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. stem — to come from
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bear — the animal
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. press — a publisher
  23. degree — from a university
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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