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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · bass · craft · current · kick · sharp · squash · temple

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bass — the fish
  3. sharp — clever
  4. current — of water
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. present — there
  11. kick — in football
  12. craft — boats
  13. bass — low music
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. craft — a skill
  16. present — the time now
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. current — electric
  19. squash — to crush
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. present — a gift
  24. kick — a thrill

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