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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.

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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: ball · suit · bat · deal · current · bore · march · scale

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. scale — in music
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. march — the month
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. current — happening now
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. ball — a dance
  10. march — the month
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — the animal
  14. current — electric
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. deal — to handle
  17. suit — to fit
  18. scale — size or range
  19. march — music
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. current — of water
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. suit — in cards

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