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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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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: date · cap · degree · spell · stand · current · mark · arm

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. current — happening now
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stand — to bear
  8. cap — of ice
  9. degree — temperature
  10. spell — a short time
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. current — of water
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mark — a grade
  17. degree — an amount
  18. spell — magic
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. date — the fruit
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. spell — letters
  23. current — electric
  24. cap — a hat

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