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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: land · track · lean · ball · firm · perch · bear · current

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. ball — a great time
  3. current — of water
  4. firm — a company
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lean — thin
  7. current — happening now
  8. firm — decided
  9. lean — to bend
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. land — a country
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. firm — steady
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. land — to come down
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. perch — the fish
  22. current — electric
  23. land — ground
  24. bear — the animal

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