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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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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: degree · charge · board · mark · sharp · current · stand · wake

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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. stand — to bear
  4. current — of water
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. board — a committee
  7. wake — a trail
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. charge — a price
  12. current — electric
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. charge — electricity
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mark — a trace
  21. degree — from a university
  22. charge — in control
  23. board — to get on
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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