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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 124 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: current · bay · chip · race · dip · wake · degree · pass

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. degree — temperature
  4. chip — for betting
  5. current — of water
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pass — a permit
  8. race — a contest
  9. current — happening now
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. degree — an amount
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — humankind
  18. current — electric
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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