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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 116 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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. content — happy
  5. land — ground
  6. current — electric
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. land — a country
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pass — a permit
  11. content — the amount
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. game — wild animals
  15. current — happening now
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. land — to come down
  19. current — of water
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. game — a match
  24. wave — with your hand

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