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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. current — of water
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. chest — a box
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. game — wild animals
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. chest — of your body
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. chest — of your body
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. game — a match
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bank — for money
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bowl — a football final

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