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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 116 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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. degree — temperature
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bulb — for light
  5. press — a publisher
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cold — an illness
  8. mark — a trace
  9. degree — an amount
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — in sport
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. squash — the sport
  15. degree — from a university
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mark — a grade
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. cold — not warm
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. squash — to crush
  23. press — to push
  24. mark — to pay attention

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