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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: current · deal · temple · wound · swing · fine · bound · perch

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bound — tied together
  4. swing — music
  5. current — of water
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wound — an injury
  12. swing — to play on
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. fine — all right
  18. bound — certain
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. perch — the fish
  22. swing — in golf
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. current — electric

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