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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: wave · press · mark · tube · plane · degree · firm · scale

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. degree — temperature
  8. degree — an amount
  9. firm — a company
  10. scale — size or range
  11. degree — from a university
  12. press — newspapers
  13. tube — a container
  14. mark — a trace
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. tube — the underground
  18. scale — in music
  19. firm — decided
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mark — a grade
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. press — to push
  24. firm — steady

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