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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: charge · land · mate · bass · current · rock · lie · can

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. land — to come down
  8. bass — low music
  9. current — electric
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. can — a tin
  12. current — happening now
  13. charge — in control
  14. mate — a friend
  15. lie — to recline
  16. land — a country
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. land — ground
  20. current — of water
  21. can — to be able to
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bass — the fish
  24. can — a tin

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