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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: track · spell · hide · jam · current · lean · can · wind

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. track — a song
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. lean — to bend
  12. track — to keep track
  13. spell — letters
  14. wind — moving air
  15. spell — magic
  16. wind — moving air
  17. spell — a short time
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. can — a tin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. lean — thin
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. track — a path
  24. current — of water

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