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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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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: fine · press · present · cue · degree · mine · shower · current

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  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. degree — temperature
  2. cue — a hint
  3. present — the time now
  4. press — newspapers
  5. cue — a signal
  6. present — there
  7. fine — high quality
  8. degree — from a university
  9. fine — all right
  10. current — happening now
  11. present — a gift
  12. current — electric
  13. mine — for digging
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. press — to push
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. current — of water
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. degree — an amount
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — to wash
  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