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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 116 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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. clip — a video
  3. degree — an amount
  4. ground — a position
  5. press — newspapers
  6. staff — employees
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cue — a hint
  10. staff — employees
  11. ground — crushed
  12. cue — for pool
  13. ground — the earth
  14. net — in sport
  15. staff — a stick
  16. net — for catching
  17. degree — temperature
  18. cue — a signal
  19. band — a ring
  20. net — after costs
  21. degree — from a university
  22. clip — to cut
  23. band — a music group
  24. clip — for paper

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