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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 120 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: bass · current · club · file · perch · cue · safe · content

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. content — the amount
  3. club — a group
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bass — low music
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bass — the fish
  8. perch — the fish
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a line of people
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. file — a tool
  13. cue — for pool
  14. current — happening now
  15. content — happy
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cue — a signal
  18. current — of water
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. club — for golf
  22. cue — a hint
  23. perch — for a bird
  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