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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: press · fan · mug · root · rest · degree · swing · firm

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. root — of a word
  3. mug — a face
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. firm — a company
  7. swing — to play on
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. press — newspapers
  10. root — the cause
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. degree — temperature
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rest — what's left
  15. firm — decided
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. degree — from a university
  18. root — of a plant
  19. firm — steady
  20. press — to push
  21. swing — music
  22. mug — a cup
  23. degree — an amount
  24. press — a publisher

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