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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: bass · pound · degree · rush · press · fork · temple · plane

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. degree — from a university
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bass — low music
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. press — to push
  11. press — a publisher
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. plane — a tool
  15. degree — an amount
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fork — in a road
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. degree — temperature
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bass — 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