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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: dip · kick · mark · degree · file · current · present · bulb

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. kick — in football
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. degree — temperature
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. current — of water
  8. bulb — for light
  9. file — a line of people
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bulb — for light
  12. present — the time now
  13. current — happening now
  14. file — a tool
  15. dip — to sink
  16. mark — a trace
  17. current — electric
  18. file — a document
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. degree — from a university
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. dip — to dunk

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