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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: current · degree · rest · board · suit · stem · bore · fan

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. current — of water
  5. degree — from a university
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. board — a committee
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. suit — to fit
  18. current — electric
  19. stem — to come from
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. current — happening now
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — to get on

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