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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · mark · degree · mouse · file · lash · object · current

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. object — to protest
  3. current — electric
  4. file — a tool
  5. current — happening now
  6. degree — from a university
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mark — a trace
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. file — a line of people
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. current — of water
  22. degree — temperature
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. file — a document

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