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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: staff · rush · bay · row · bound · degree · snap · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. staff — employees
  3. press — newspapers
  4. degree — from a university
  5. snap — to click
  6. press — to push
  7. row — a line
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — certain
  11. row — to paddle
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. degree — an amount
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. degree — temperature
  24. staff — employees

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