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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: key · suit · current · tube · bowl · degree · lash · bass

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  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. current — happening now
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. current — of water
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. tube — the underground
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bass — the fish
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. degree — temperature
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bass — low music
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. degree — an amount
  19. tube — a container
  20. key — for a lock
  21. suit — to fit
  22. degree — from a university
  23. current — electric
  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