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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: cue · perch · scale · chair · current · rule · deal · chip

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. current — electric
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. scale — in music
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. chip — for betting
  12. cue — a hint
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rule — government
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rule — a law
  17. cue — a signal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. cue — for pool
  20. chair — a leader
  21. scale — size or range
  22. current — happening now
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. deal — to handle

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