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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: current · scale · pitcher · bank · content · press · bay · degree

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. scale — size or range
  3. current — electric
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. content — the amount
  8. bank — for money
  9. current — happening now
  10. degree — temperature
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. degree — from a university
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. bank — for money
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. content — happy
  24. degree — an amount

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