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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: kid · can · temple · pit · press · firm · bowl · degree

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. can — a tin
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. can — a tin
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — temperature
  9. press — a publisher
  10. firm — a company
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. firm — steady
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. press — newspapers
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. kid — child
  20. firm — decided
  21. pit — in a race
  22. can — to be able to
  23. kid — to tease
  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