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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 116 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 · object · pass · sharp · cabinet · face · degree · board

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. face — to point toward
  3. board — to get on
  4. current — happening now
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. current — electric
  7. object — to protest
  8. degree — an amount
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. degree — temperature
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. object — a thing
  15. board — a committee
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. pass — a permit
  18. current — of water
  19. face — to confront
  20. degree — from a university
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. object — an aim
  24. sharp — clever

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