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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.

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: track · bass · bear · current · date · fork · object · perch

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bass — low music
  4. track — a song
  5. bass — the fish
  6. track — a path
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — of water
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. object — to protest
  14. date — the fruit
  15. object — an aim
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. object — a thing
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. current — electric
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. date — on the calendar

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