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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: mate · current · season · tube · bass · vault · rash · content

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. content — happy
  4. rash — a series
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. mate — a partner
  7. tube — a container
  8. current — of water
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bass — low music
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. mate — to breed
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. content — the amount
  18. mate — a friend
  19. season — in sport
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — electric
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bass — the fish

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