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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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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: stick · pit · lean · tube · current · track · safe · perch

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. track — a path
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pit — a hole
  6. lean — to bend
  7. track — a song
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. current — electric
  13. track — to keep track
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — a container
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lean — thin
  18. current — of water
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. perch — the fish
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — for a bird

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