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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 120 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: current · pop · perch · bass · bore · bear · wave · lean

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pop — music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. current — electric
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bore — to drill
  15. pop — soda
  16. bass — low music
  17. current — happening now
  18. bore — to tire
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. current — of water
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lean — thin
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. lean — to bend

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