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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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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: racket · rock · degree · temple · chip · press

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. press — to push
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. degree — an amount
  5. press — newspapers
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. chip — for betting
  11. degree — from a university
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. press — a publisher
  18. degree — temperature

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