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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · spring · bound · current · craft · bass · rock · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. craft — boats
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. spring — the season
  8. bound — obliged
  9. spring — of water
  10. bass — the fish
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. spring — a coil
  18. track — a song
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. current — of water
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bound — certain
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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