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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. track — a song
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. press — newspapers
  5. degree — temperature
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. track — a path
  8. land — ground
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. land — to come down
  12. track — to keep track
  13. land — a country
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wax — to grow
  20. press — to push
  21. degree — from a university
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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