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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 116 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: club · cap · suit · last · degree · press · bay · lean

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. club — for golf
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. club — for dancing
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — final
  8. last — finally
  9. press — to push
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. press — a publisher
  13. degree — an amount
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. cap — of ice
  17. degree — from a university
  18. lean — thin
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lean — to bend
  21. degree — temperature
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. club — a group
  24. cap — a hat

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