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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. kick — in football
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. press — newspapers
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — an amount
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. degree — from a university
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. press — to push
  21. mark — a grade
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. suit — to fit
  24. foot — part of the body

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