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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.

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: tear · current · fine · suit · leaves · shower · net · bass

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. suit — in cards
  3. fine — high quality
  4. net — in sport
  5. current — electric
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bass — low music
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. suit — to fit
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. net — for catching
  16. bass — the fish
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. tear — from crying
  19. current — of water
  20. shower — to wash
  21. tear — from crying
  22. net — after costs
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bass — the instrument

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