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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. fine — all right
  3. wake — a trail
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bear — the animal
  7. press — to push
  8. pass — a permit
  9. file — a line of people
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bear — the animal
  12. file — a tool
  13. degree — temperature
  14. file — a document
  15. degree — from a university
  16. press — newspapers
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. degree — an amount
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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