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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
468
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 · rash · pit · bass · club · snap · mouse · capital

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. club — a group
  4. pit — in a race
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. current — electric
  12. bass — low music
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. snap — to click
  15. club — for dancing
  16. current — of water
  17. pit — a hole
  18. capital — a city
  19. bass — the fish
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. capital — money
  22. rash — hasty
  23. club — for golf
  24. rash — a series

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