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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. current — happening now
  3. bank — for money
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. object — an aim
  6. current — of water
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bank — for money
  9. degree — from a university
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mate — a friend
  13. object — a thing
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. object — to protest
  19. board — a committee
  20. current — electric
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. board — to get on
  24. degree — an amount

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