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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.

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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: firm · board · arm · temple · wave · rule · bass · current

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bass — the fish
  5. current — of water
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rule — a law
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. firm — decided
  11. rule — government
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. current — happening now
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. board — to get on
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. firm — a company
  21. bass — low music
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. board — a committee
  24. current — electric

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