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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. pop — music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. pop — to visit
  5. firm — decided
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. bass — low music
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bank — for money
  11. pop — soda
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. firm — a company
  14. race — the arms race
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — humankind
  19. current — electric
  20. firm — steady
  21. bank — for money
  22. current — of water
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bass — the instrument

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