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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
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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: rush · fork · current · mouse · degree · object · present · press

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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. degree — an amount
  2. degree — temperature
  3. object — a thing
  4. present — a gift
  5. current — happening now
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. present — the time now
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. present — there
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. object — to protest
  15. press — to push
  16. current — of water
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. current — electric
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rush — hurry
  22. object — an aim
  23. press — a publisher
  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