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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 120 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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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: present · mug · object · press · fine · degree · last · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mug — a face
  3. degree — from a university
  4. press — a publisher
  5. last — to go on
  6. present — a gift
  7. degree — an amount
  8. press — newspapers
  9. present — there
  10. present — the time now
  11. object — to protest
  12. fine — high quality
  13. object — an aim
  14. mug — a cup
  15. last — final
  16. degree — temperature
  17. object — a thing
  18. last — finally
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fine — all right
  22. mug — to rob
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. press — to push

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