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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
468
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: rash · toast · wave · degree · bank · leaves · press · pitcher

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. degree — from a university
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. press — a publisher
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. press — newspapers
  10. rash — hasty
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rash — a series
  17. toast — bread
  18. degree — an amount
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bank — for money
  21. press — to push
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bank — for money

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