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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: firm · cap · bass · race · current · track · rush · land

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. current — of water
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. cap — a hat
  6. current — electric
  7. track — a path
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. land — a country
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. race — humankind
  14. track — to keep track
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. firm — a company
  17. land — to come down
  18. cap — a lid
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rush — hurry
  22. current — happening now
  23. track — a song
  24. land — ground

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