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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cell · pop · board · degree · suit · current · fall · pass

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — to visit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. cell — a phone
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — temperature
  10. pop — music
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. suit — clothes
  15. board — a committee
  16. degree — from a university
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pass — a permit
  19. cell — in biology
  20. fall — the season
  21. current — electric
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. suit — to fit

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