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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. current — electric
  3. bass — the fish
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. current — of water
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bass — low music
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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