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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. track — a song
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — all right
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bass — low music
  11. charge — electricity
  12. track — a path
  13. current — electric
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. lie — to recline
  16. charge — in control
  17. shower — rain
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. charge — a price

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