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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.

Make a worksheet

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: lash · current · bass · temple · hide · game · suit · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. game — wild animals
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bass — low music
  12. pound — a weight
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. current — of water
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bass — the fish
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. game — a match
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bass — the instrument

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