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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. kick — in football
  3. net — for catching
  4. scale — in music
  5. season — of the year
  6. mug — to rob
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — to push
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. scale — size or range
  12. press — a publisher
  13. net — after costs
  14. saw — the tool
  15. degree — from a university
  16. saw — the tool
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. degree — temperature
  19. net — in sport
  20. mug — a face
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. degree — an amount
  23. season — in sport
  24. mug — a cup

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