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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
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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: current · bass · last · key · calf · mate · cabinet · sharp

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. key — in music
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — finally
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mate — a friend
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mate — to breed
  12. last — final
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. mate — a partner
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. current — electric
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bass — the fish
  24. calf — a young animal

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