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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.

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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: wave · bass · lie · current · craft · track · calf · charge

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. craft — a skill
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. charge — a price
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. craft — boats
  19. charge — in control
  20. track — a path
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bass — the fish
  23. charge — electricity
  24. current — electric

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