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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: row · pop · jam · track · bass · current · calf · saw

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — a path
  3. bass — the fish
  4. saw — the tool
  5. current — of water
  6. bass — low music
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pop — soda
  10. track — to keep track
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. current — happening now
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pop — music
  17. current — electric
  18. row — a line
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. saw — the tool
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. calf — of the leg

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