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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 120 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.

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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: bass · last · object · arm · degree · stand · current · kick

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. current — happening now
  4. last — to go on
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. degree — temperature
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. degree — an amount
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. object — a thing
  11. current — electric
  12. last — finally
  13. bass — low music
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. stand — to bear
  16. kick — in football
  17. object — to protest
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. degree — from a university
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. object — an aim
  23. last — final
  24. current — of water

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