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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: scale · roll · current · rest · kick · pound · bear · craft

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. current — of water
  9. current — happening now
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pound — a weight
  13. current — electric
  14. rest — a break
  15. craft — boats
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. craft — a skill
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. scale — size or range
  20. roll — a list
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kick — in football

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