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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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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: current · track · fine · court · rock · perch · rule · march

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. fine — all right
  3. march — music
  4. track — a path
  5. march — the month
  6. rock — a stone
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. current — of water
  9. rock — music
  10. march — the month
  11. current — electric
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rule — a law
  21. track — a song
  22. court — for sport
  23. track — to keep track
  24. perch — the fish

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