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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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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. can — to be able to
  4. current — electric
  5. wound — an injury
  6. current — of water
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bass — the fish
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. can — a tin
  11. firm — a company
  12. mate — a partner
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. band — a ring
  15. can — a tin
  16. firm — decided
  17. bass — low music
  18. current — happening now
  19. wound — an injury
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. firm — steady
  23. mate — a friend
  24. band — a rubber band

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