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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bank — of a river
  3. press — a publisher
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bank — for money
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. press — newspapers
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. cap — a hat
  20. press — to push
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bank — for money
  23. stem — to come from
  24. degree — an amount

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