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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: firm · current · scale · track · press · rush · bass · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. press — a publisher
  3. field — farmland
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. track — a song
  7. press — to push
  8. scale — size or range
  9. current — happening now
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. scale — in music
  14. rush — hurry
  15. field — a subject
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bass — low music
  18. firm — decided
  19. track — to keep track
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. track — a path
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. press — newspapers

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