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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: pass · perch · fan · arm · bass · roll · current · content

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. current — of water
  3. content — the amount
  4. pass — a permit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bass — the fish
  10. content — happy
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bass — low music
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. roll — a list

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