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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: dip · mate · bark · nail · jam · perch · degree · press

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. degree — an amount
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. mate — a partner
  8. press — newspapers
  9. mate — a friend
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. press — a publisher
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bark — to shout
  21. press — to push
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. perch — the fish

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