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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. cap — a hat
  3. press — newspapers
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cap — a lid
  11. degree — from a university
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. cap — of ice
  14. present — there
  15. mark — a trace
  16. press — a publisher
  17. degree — an amount
  18. present — a gift
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — in football
  23. present — the time now
  24. press — to push

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