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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. mug — a cup
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mug — a face
  9. rock — music
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. track — a path
  14. current — electric
  15. track — a song
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mug — to rob
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rock — a stone
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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