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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: toast · fork · scale · present · last · current · rock · pit

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. toast — bread
  4. present — there
  5. fork — in a road
  6. current — electric
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. current — happening now
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. last — finally
  15. rock — music
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. scale — in music
  19. last — to go on
  20. last — final
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. current — of water
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pit — a hole

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