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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: current · craft · mug · leaves · tube · degree · swing · mark

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mug — a cup
  3. craft — boats
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. degree — from a university
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mark — a grade
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. tube — the underground
  12. current — of water
  13. current — happening now
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. swing — music
  16. degree — temperature
  17. current — electric
  18. tube — a container
  19. swing — to play on
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. swing — in golf
  22. degree — an amount
  23. mug — a face
  24. mark — a trace

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