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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. press — newspapers
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. degree — an amount
  6. mug — to rob
  7. land — ground
  8. rest — a break
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — a cup
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. rest — what's left
  13. land — to come down
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. press — to push
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. degree — temperature
  19. rock — a stone
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. press — a publisher
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. degree — from a university
  24. land — a country

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