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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lean · bowl · fall · track · current · perch · safe · press

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. current — electric
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. track — to keep track
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. current — of water
  7. fall — to drop
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. track — a song
  11. fall — the season
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lean — to bend
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. track — a path
  19. press — to push
  20. fall — to drop
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — a publisher
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. current — happening now

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