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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
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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: track · current · row · mine · mug · fine · saw · bass

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. mug — to rob
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bass — the fish
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bass — low music
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. row — a line
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mug — a cup
  18. current — happening now
  19. mug — a face
  20. fine — all right
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mine — for digging
  24. saw — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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