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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: pit · rush · lean · current · kick · bass · bear · chip

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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 — electric
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bass — low music
  10. kick — in football
  11. lean — thin
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. current — happening now
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bear — the animal
  23. chip — to eat
  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