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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 · drill · wave · chest · pound · current · can · charge

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. current — of water
  3. drill — the tool
  4. chest — of your body
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. charge — in control
  7. current — happening now
  8. scale — in music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. chest — of your body
  11. can — a tin
  12. current — electric
  13. scale — size or range
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — a weight
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. can — to be able to
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. can — a tin
  21. drill — army training
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. charge — a price
  24. drill — a practice

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