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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 · foot · wave · stick · degree · suit · cap · present

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. current — of water
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. foot — a measure
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cap — a lid
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. present — the time now
  17. degree — from a university
  18. present — a gift
  19. degree — temperature
  20. cap — of ice
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. cap — a hat
  23. present — there
  24. degree — an amount

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