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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: current · ground · season · bass · safe · lash · cue · hide

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ground — a position
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. season — of the year
  6. cue — a signal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ground — crushed
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. current — happening now
  11. bass — the fish
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cue — for pool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ground — the earth
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. current — of water
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. season — in sport
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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