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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. press — a publisher
  3. sharp — clever
  4. cue — for pool
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. degree — temperature
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. cue — a signal
  11. board — to get on
  12. cue — a hint
  13. board — a committee
  14. bore — to tire
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. press — newspapers
  17. degree — from a university
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. press — to push
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bore — to drill
  24. degree — an amount

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