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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: cap · current · lean · degree · rest · mouse · stand · bore

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. degree — temperature
  3. current — happening now
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bore — to tire
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — from a university
  9. current — electric
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. current — of water
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lean — thin
  20. bore — to drill
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cap — of ice
  23. rest — a break
  24. mouse — for a computer

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