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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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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: ground · can · root · bass · ball · current · bay · face

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bass — low music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. can — a tin
  6. current — of water
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. root — the cause
  9. current — happening now
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bass — the fish
  12. ball — a dance
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. root — of a word
  18. face — part of the head
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. can — a tin
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — to point toward
  24. current — electric

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