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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: degree · wound · club · bowl · suit · squash · firm · current

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. squash — the sport
  3. club — for golf
  4. degree — from a university
  5. club — a group
  6. wound — an injury
  7. squash — to crush
  8. suit — clothes
  9. firm — a company
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. suit — in cards
  12. firm — decided
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. current — electric
  16. club — for dancing
  17. wound — an injury
  18. current — happening now
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. current — of water
  21. firm — steady
  22. degree — an amount
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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