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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wave · game · pass · current · scale · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. 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. nail — on a finger
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pass — a permit
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. current — of water
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. 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