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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. current — electric
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mug — a face
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — to wash
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. current — happening now
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. current — of water
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mug — to rob
  15. scale — in music
  16. mug — a cup
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. racket — a loud noise

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