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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. current — of water
  3. bass — low music
  4. track — a path
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. current — happening now
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. current — electric
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. track — to keep track
  14. season — in sport
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. lie — to recline
  18. track — a song
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bound — obliged
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. season — of the year
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. season — to add flavour

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