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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: wax · land · object · last · current · wake · bass · squash

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bass — low music
  3. object — a thing
  4. current — of water
  5. bass — the fish
  6. last — finally
  7. object — to protest
  8. last — to go on
  9. land — to come down
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. squash — to crush
  12. object — an aim
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. land — ground
  15. land — a country
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. current — happening now
  21. last — final
  22. squash — the sport
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wax — to grow

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