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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: wake · row · rest · rush · current · bass · mine · press

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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. mine — an explosive
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. press — a publisher
  10. row — a line
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. current — happening now
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. rest — what's left
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rest — a break
  17. press — newspapers
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. row — to paddle
  20. mine — for digging
  21. press — to push
  22. wake — a trail
  23. current — of water
  24. rush — hurry

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