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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: scale · object · current · nail · march · rush · chip · stand

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. chip — to eat
  4. current — happening now
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. scale — in music
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. object — to protest
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. march — music
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. current — of water
  16. chip — for betting
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. scale — size or range
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rush — hurry
  21. object — a thing
  22. current — electric
  23. object — an aim
  24. chip — in a computer

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