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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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Word bank
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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. press — to push
  5. present — the time now
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. tube — a container
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. charge — a price
  12. season — of the year
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — from a university
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. season — in sport
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rush — hurry
  23. degree — an amount
  24. charge — in control

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