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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
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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: key · degree · cell · lean · date · current · coach · pass

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. lean — thin
  3. current — of water
  4. cell — a phone
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. key — for a lock
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. lean — to bend
  9. degree — from a university
  10. current — electric
  11. key — the most important part
  12. date — the fruit
  13. key — in music
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. degree — an amount
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. degree — temperature
  20. current — happening now
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pass — to succeed

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