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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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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: saw · bass · can · roll · patient · bound · scale · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bass — the fish
  4. roll — a list
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. roll — a cake
  8. saw — the tool
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bound — obliged
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. can — a tin
  14. current — happening now
  15. scale — size or range
  16. saw — the tool
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. scale — in music
  19. current — of water
  20. can — a tin
  21. bound — certain
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bass — low music
  24. bound — tied together

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