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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: wave · degree · net · can · jam · current · bowl · firm

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. firm — a company
  4. current — happening now
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. current — electric
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. can — a tin
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. current — of water
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. degree — an amount
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. degree — temperature
  19. firm — steady
  20. net — for catching
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. firm — decided

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