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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cold — an illness
  8. degree — from a university
  9. degree — an amount
  10. press — a publisher
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. perch — the fish
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cue — for pool

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