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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. charge — in control
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. land — a country
  7. land — ground
  8. swing — music
  9. perch — the fish
  10. land — to come down
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. swing — to play on
  15. craft — a skill
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. charge — a price
  20. craft — boats
  21. track — a song
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. swing — in golf
  24. track — to keep track

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