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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 · rash · bound · rush · degree · calf · chest · board

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. rash — a series
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bound — certain
  5. degree — from a university
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — of water
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. current — happening now
  14. bound — tied together
  15. chest — of your body
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. degree — temperature
  18. board — to get on
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. current — electric
  21. chest — a box
  22. chest — of your body
  23. board — a committee
  24. rash — on the skin

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