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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · current · game · squash · rock · mark · net · bass

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rock — music
  3. bass — the fish
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mark — a trace
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — the sport
  8. net — in sport
  9. mark — a grade
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. game — a match
  15. squash — to crush
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. current — happening now
  24. net — after costs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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