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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rule — government
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. current — happening now
  6. pass — a permit
  7. current — electric
  8. swing — music
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. swing — to play on
  13. degree — temperature
  14. cap — a lid
  15. rule — a law
  16. cap — a hat
  17. degree — from a university
  18. current — of water
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. degree — an amount
  22. suit — clothes
  23. swing — in golf
  24. suit — in cards

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