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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: perch · toast · track · suit · bass · hand · face · current

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. track — a song
  3. face — to confront
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. suit — in cards
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. suit — clothes
  11. face — part of the head
  12. hand — in cards
  13. current — electric
  14. track — a path
  15. suit — to fit
  16. current — of water
  17. hand — help
  18. bass — low music
  19. perch — the fish
  20. track — to keep track
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. face — to point toward
  24. hand — part of the body

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