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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: roll · degree · cabinet · current · mug · press · calf · stock

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. degree — from a university
  3. press — newspapers
  4. degree — an amount
  5. stock — shares
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stock — goods
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mug — a face
  12. degree — temperature
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mug — a cup
  19. current — of water
  20. mug — to rob
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — a cake
  24. press — to push

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