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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. lean — to bend
  3. track — a path
  4. current — electric
  5. cell — a phone
  6. track — to keep track
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. current — of water
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. scale — in music
  13. track — a song
  14. mug — a cup
  15. cell — in biology
  16. current — happening now
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a face

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