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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cell · bass · club · chip · bound · calf · current · mate

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — to breed
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. current — electric
  6. club — a group
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. club — for golf
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mate — a partner
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bound — certain
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. cell — in biology
  19. club — for dancing
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bound — obliged
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bass — low music

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