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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: sharp · mate · suit · stand · current · scale · bulb · pound

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mate — a partner
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. suit — clothes
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. sharp — clever
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pound — a weight
  12. scale — size or range
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. suit — in cards
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — of water
  18. current — electric
  19. suit — to fit
  20. scale — in music
  21. mate — to breed
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bulb — of a plant

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