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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.

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: bass · lie · current · content · squash · ball · mate · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. ball — a dance
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. ball — a great time
  7. content — the amount
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bass — low music
  12. current — of water
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. current — happening now
  15. squash — the sport
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. current — electric
  19. mate — a partner
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. content — happy
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mate — a friend

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