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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: arm · ruler · scale · current · roll · stock · chip · hand

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. current — of water
  3. stock — shares
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. roll — a cake
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. hand — help
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. scale — size or range
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stock — goods
  19. current — happening now
  20. roll — a list
  21. chip — to eat
  22. scale — in music
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. current — electric

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