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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
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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: bound · craft · rush · sharp · current · bowl · bass · wake

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. sharp — clever
  4. current — of water
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bass — the fish
  9. wake — a trail
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. current — electric
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. rush — hurry
  15. current — happening now
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bound — obliged
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bass — low music
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. bound — certain
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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