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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: cap · mark · drill · suit · degree · fine · board · stem

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. board — to get on
  3. degree — from a university
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cap — of ice
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. suit — in cards
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. drill — a practice
  15. board — a committee
  16. stem — to come from
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — a hat
  19. suit — to fit
  20. drill — army training
  21. degree — temperature
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  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