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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: mark · degree · perch · file · pass · bay · press · cold

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. file — a tool
  3. degree — temperature
  4. file — a document
  5. press — newspapers
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pass — a permit
  11. degree — an amount
  12. cold — not warm
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cold — an illness
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. press — to push
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. file — a line of people
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mark — a trace
  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