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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: wave · jam · current · deal · court · mine · bass · leaves

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. court — of a king
  4. deal — to handle
  5. current — happening now
  6. court — of law
  7. court — for sport
  8. mine — for digging
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. current — electric
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bass — low music
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. current — of water
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mine — an explosive

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