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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: mug · shower · deal · cap · bass · nail · current · can

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. current — electric
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. current — of water
  5. shower — to wash
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cap — of ice
  8. deal — to handle
  9. can — a tin
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bass — the fish
  12. current — happening now
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mug — to rob
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mug — a face
  19. bass — low music
  20. can — a tin
  21. cap — a hat
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. shower — rain
  24. mug — a cup

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