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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: current · game · squash · wind · bear · bass · pass · lie

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pass — a permit
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bass — the fish
  6. game — a match
  7. current — happening now
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. current — of water
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — low music
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. current — electric
  22. bear — the animal
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. squash — the sport

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