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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: track · rush · mouse · hand · jam · perch · dip · club

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. track — to keep track
  5. hand — help
  6. perch — the fish
  7. track — a path
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. track — a song
  10. hand — in cards
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. club — for golf
  14. dip — to sink
  15. club — a group
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rush — hurry

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