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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
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: degree · file · bass · bore · cue · ruler · mark · current

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. current — electric
  6. file — a tool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. degree — an amount
  10. current — of water
  11. bass — the fish
  12. cue — for pool
  13. degree — temperature
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bass — low music
  16. file — a line of people
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. current — happening now
  20. file — a document
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cue — a hint
  24. degree — from a university

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