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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
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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: clip · chest · pass · current · board · mug · degree · cap

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  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. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. chest — of your body
  4. clip — to cut
  5. board — to get on
  6. clip — a video
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. degree — temperature
  9. degree — from a university
  10. chest — of your body
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. chest — a box
  13. current — happening now
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mug — to rob
  18. degree — an amount
  19. clip — for paper
  20. board — a committee
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mug — a face
  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