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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. press — a publisher
  3. degree — temperature
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. degree — from a university
  9. press — newspapers
  10. spell — a short time
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bank — for money
  13. spell — letters
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. spell — magic
  17. degree — an amount
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bank — for money
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. press — to push
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bank — of a river

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