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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: rash · foot · jam · dip · bass · mine · firm · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. firm — decided
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. firm — steady
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. current — of water
  12. bass — low music
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rash — a series
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. foot — a measure
  17. rash — hasty
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bass — the fish
  21. current — happening now
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. firm — a company
  24. jam — in traffic

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