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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. net — after costs
  5. degree — temperature
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bore — to tire
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. clip — a video
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. net — in sport
  12. degree — from a university
  13. press — a publisher
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. clip — for paper
  19. clip — to cut
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bore — to drill
  23. press — to push
  24. net — for catching

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