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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 120 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: degree · current · staff · rush · leaves · bay · pitch · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. degree — from a university
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. current — of water
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. degree — temperature
  17. current — happening now
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. staff — employees
  20. current — electric
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. degree — an amount

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