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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: dip · degree · staff · file · hand · cap · current · suit

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. current — of water
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hand — in cards
  7. cap — of ice
  8. degree — temperature
  9. staff — a stick
  10. current — electric
  11. dip — to sink
  12. staff — employees
  13. degree — from a university
  14. file — a line of people
  15. suit — to fit
  16. staff — employees
  17. cap — a lid
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. degree — an amount
  20. cap — a hat
  21. current — happening now
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. suit — in cards
  24. hand — help

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