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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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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. race — a contest
  4. current — of water
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. current — electric
  7. net — after costs
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — humankind
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. net — for catching
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hand — in cards
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. current — happening now
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. can — a tin
  20. scale — in music
  21. net — in sport
  22. perch — the fish
  23. scale — size or range
  24. can — to be able to

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