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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. squash — to crush
  7. swing — music
  8. mark — a grade
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. squash — the sport
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. degree — an amount
  15. pass — a permit
  16. degree — from a university
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mark — a trace
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. swing — to play on
  23. degree — temperature
  24. squash — the vegetable

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