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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.

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: pass · tube · chair · sharp · degree · press · game · temple

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. press — newspapers
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. tube — the underground
  6. press — a publisher
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pass — a permit
  9. press — to push
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — from a university
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. game — wild animals
  16. sharp — clever
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chair — a leader
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. tube — a container
  22. degree — temperature
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. game — a match

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