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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
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: current · hide · track · jam · swing · mouse · ground · stick

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. swing — music
  4. track — a song
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. track — a path
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. ground — the earth
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. current — of water
  12. swing — in golf
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. ground — crushed
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. ground — a position
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. current — electric
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. track — to keep track
  22. current — happening now
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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