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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.

Make a worksheet

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: craft · degree · arm · temple · dip · press · rush · squash

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. craft — boats
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. degree — temperature
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rush — hurry
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. squash — the sport
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. press — a publisher
  20. degree — an amount
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. degree — from a university

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