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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: plane · spell · calf · cell · perch · track · current · bound

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. track — a song
  4. perch — the fish
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. current — electric
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. current — of water
  13. bound — obliged
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. current — happening now
  18. spell — magic
  19. cell — in biology
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bound — certain
  22. cell — a phone
  23. spell — letters
  24. bound — tied together

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