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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.

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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: net · current · wax · bass · spell · suit · mouse · pound

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. spell — a short time
  3. net — for catching
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. suit — to fit
  9. net — after costs
  10. spell — letters
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bass — low music
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. spell — magic
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. current — happening now
  17. net — in sport
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. pound — a weight
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bass — the fish

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