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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: race · current · bear · deal · plane · suit · degree · file

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. current — of water
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. file — a line of people
  6. deal — to handle
  7. file — a document
  8. plane — a tool
  9. degree — temperature
  10. suit — in cards
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. race — the arms race
  13. degree — from a university
  14. current — happening now
  15. suit — clothes
  16. race — humankind
  17. current — electric
  18. bear — the animal
  19. degree — an amount
  20. race — a contest
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. file — a tool
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. plane — an aircraft

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