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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. press — a publisher
  3. kick — in football
  4. degree — from a university
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. cap — a hat
  7. season — in sport
  8. press — newspapers
  9. degree — an amount
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. season — of the year
  13. root — of a word
  14. staff — employees
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. degree — temperature
  17. press — to push
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a lid
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. staff — employees
  24. season — to add flavour

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