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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: date · jam · ruler · kick · rock · scale · row · current

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. current — of water
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kick — in football
  7. current — electric
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. current — happening now
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. date — the fruit
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a line
  15. rock — a stone
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rock — music
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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