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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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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. current — happening now
  4. charge — in control
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bass — low music
  11. current — electric
  12. bass — the fish
  13. wake — a trail
  14. band — a music group
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stand — to bear
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. current — of water
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. band — a ring

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