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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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. track — a path
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. current — electric
  11. track — a song
  12. scale — size or range
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. current — happening now
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. track — to keep track
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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