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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: temple · degree · fine · clip · stick · rush · mouse · press

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fine — all right
  4. degree — from a university
  5. fine — high quality
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. clip — to cut
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. degree — an amount
  17. press — to push
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — a video
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mouse — for a computer

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