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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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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: bowl · current · suit · race · wake · face · bass · pound

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. current — happening now
  3. face — to confront
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wake — a trail
  6. face — to point toward
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. race — a contest
  10. bass — low music
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. current — electric
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. race — humankind
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. current — of water
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. race — the arms race

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