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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · press · dip · degree · court · vault

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. court — of law
  4. suit — in cards
  5. degree — an amount
  6. degree — from a university
  7. court — for sport
  8. press — newspapers
  9. suit — to fit
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. suit — clothes
  12. dip — to sink
  13. press — to push
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. vault — a safe
  16. court — of a king
  17. press — a publisher
  18. vault — in gymnastics

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