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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · snap · pitch · track · current · fan · chip · cap

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. cap — of ice
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. track — a path
  7. cap — a lid
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. track — to keep track
  11. snap — to click
  12. track — a song
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pitch — completely
  20. current — happening now
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — size or range
  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