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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. scale — in music
  5. club — a group
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wind — moving air
  8. content — the amount
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. current — electric
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. current — of water
  15. stem — to come from
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. content — happy
  19. club — for golf
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. club — for dancing
  22. wind — moving air
  23. current — happening now
  24. scale — for weighing

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