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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 120 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. degree — from a university
  3. current — happening now
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. press — newspapers
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. dip — to sink
  11. current — electric
  12. press — to push
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. current — of water
  15. mate — a partner
  16. vault — a safe
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. press — a publisher
  19. mate — to breed
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. degree — temperature
  22. band — a music group
  23. degree — an amount
  24. band — a ring

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