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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. degree — from a university
  3. degree — temperature
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pit — a hole
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. degree — an amount
  11. pit — in a race
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fork — in a road
  16. perch — the fish
  17. press — newspapers
  18. suit — to fit
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. fork — a garden tool

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