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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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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: mark · suit · mug · pound · wake · degree · firm · current

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. mug — to rob
  3. firm — decided
  4. pound — a weight
  5. degree — from a university
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mug — a cup
  8. current — of water
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. degree — temperature
  15. firm — a company
  16. degree — an amount
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mug — a face
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. current — happening now
  22. firm — steady
  23. current — electric
  24. suit — clothes

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