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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 120 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. track — to keep track
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rock — a stone
  6. current — happening now
  7. net — after costs
  8. vault — a safe
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. net — in sport
  11. bass — the fish
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. perch — the fish
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. track — a song
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. bass — low music
  22. rock — music
  23. track — a path
  24. bass — the instrument

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