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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: press · track · bank · cap · pass · degree · charge · mouse

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. track — to keep track
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. degree — an amount
  5. bank — for money
  6. track — a song
  7. track — a path
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — temperature
  13. press — a publisher
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pass — a permit
  16. cap — a hat
  17. charge — in control
  18. bank — for money
  19. press — to push
  20. cap — a lid
  21. charge — a price
  22. press — newspapers
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pass — to succeed

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