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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: drill · bay · pass · degree · fan · current · ground · stand

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. degree — temperature
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. degree — from a university
  11. ground — crushed
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. current — happening now
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. degree — an amount
  20. drill — army training
  21. ground — a position
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. current — of water

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