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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.

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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: season · deal · bay · can · current · charge · rash · bass

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — in sport
  3. current — electric
  4. rash — a series
  5. bass — low music
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. charge — electricity
  10. rash — hasty
  11. can — to be able to
  12. deal — to handle
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. charge — in control
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — of water
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. can — a tin
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. charge — a price
  24. can — a tin

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