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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 · sharp · can · bulb · pound · cabinet · degree · spell

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. press — a publisher
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. degree — temperature
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. can — a tin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. can — to be able to
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. degree — an amount
  17. pound — a weight
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. degree — from a university
  20. spell — letters
  21. bulb — for light
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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