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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. degree — from a university
  3. cap — a lid
  4. press — newspapers
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. race — a contest
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. present — the time now
  9. press — to push
  10. pit — a hole
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. degree — an amount
  14. degree — temperature
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. cap — a hat
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pit — in a race
  19. race — humankind
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. press — a publisher
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. present — there
  24. race — the arms race

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