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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: bass · ball · sharp · toast · current · nail · staff · calf

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. toast — bread
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bass — the fish
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ball — a great time
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. staff — employees
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. staff — employees
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bass — low music
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. sharp — clever
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. staff — a stick
  24. current — of water

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