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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. degree — temperature
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — a publisher
  7. firm — a company
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. firm — decided
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. degree — an amount
  15. firm — steady
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lie — to recline
  19. dip — to sink
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. degree — from a university
  23. press — to push
  24. lean — to rest against

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