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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. saw — the tool
  3. degree — an amount
  4. can — a tin
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. roll — a cake
  8. saw — the tool
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. degree — from a university
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. roll — a list
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitch — completely
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. press — to push
  22. pass — a permit
  23. can — a tin
  24. press — a publisher

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