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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: rest · bass · vault · spring · track · current · charge · saw

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. spring — of water
  3. current — of water
  4. charge — a price
  5. current — happening now
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bass — the fish
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a path
  10. rest — what's left
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. spring — the season
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rest — what's left
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bass — low music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. current — electric
  20. track — a song
  21. rest — a break
  22. charge — in control
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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