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

Word bank: press · bat · firm · bowl · degree · toast

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. press — newspapers
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — an amount
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. press — a publisher
  7. firm — a company
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. press — to push
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. firm — decided
  12. degree — from a university
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. firm — steady
  18. toast — bread

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