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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.

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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. sharp — clever
  5. degree — an amount
  6. current — of water
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. degree — from a university
  9. board — a committee
  10. degree — temperature
  11. board — to get on
  12. current — happening now
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. cap — a lid
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. current — electric

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