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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: net · nail · suit · leaves · current · degree · band · lash

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. degree — temperature
  4. net — for catching
  5. current — electric
  6. degree — an amount
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. current — of water
  10. net — after costs
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. current — happening now
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. band — a music group
  22. net — in sport
  23. degree — from a university
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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