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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: straw · bark · wind · bowl · current · mug · object · scale

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. scale — size or range
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. object — a thing
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. object — an aim
  11. bark — to shout
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mug — to rob
  17. current — of water
  18. wind — moving air
  19. scale — in music
  20. wind — moving air
  21. object — to protest
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. straw — a straw man

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