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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 116 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rock — music
  4. rash — hasty
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rock — a stone
  9. staff — employees
  10. pop — soda
  11. current — happening now
  12. perch — the fish
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. rash — a series
  16. bass — the fish
  17. staff — employees
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pop — music
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bass — low music
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. current — electric

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