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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · bore · field · rest · toast · current · stem · content

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rest — a break
  3. current — of water
  4. field — for sport
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — a subject
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. stem — to come from
  11. current — happening now
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. scale — size or range
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. toast — bread
  20. current — electric
  21. scale — in music
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. content — happy
  24. content — the amount

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