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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: game · chest · nail · rock · pitcher · degree · hide · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. chest — a box
  3. game — wild animals
  4. chest — of your body
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chest — of your body
  7. game — a match
  8. degree — from a university
  9. rock — a stone
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. press — a publisher
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rock — music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. degree — temperature
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. press — to push
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. degree — an amount
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. game — a kind of play

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