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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rest · current · lash · tube · vault · sharp · bass · craft

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — a container
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. rest — what's left
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. current — of water
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bass — low music
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. current — happening now
  14. craft — a skill
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rest — a break
  17. bass — the fish
  18. current — electric
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. vault — a safe
  21. rest — what's left
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. craft — boats
  24. lash — an eyelash

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