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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
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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: mine · sharp · mate · bass · jam · current · charge · roll

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. charge — in control
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. current — of water
  12. mate — a partner
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. current — happening now
  17. roll — a list
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. current — electric
  23. charge — a price
  24. mine — an explosive

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