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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: stand · wave · ball · scale · suit · current · mine · mate

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. scale — in music
  3. mine — for digging
  4. scale — size or range
  5. current — happening now
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. suit — in cards
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. current — electric
  18. mate — a friend
  19. current — of water
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. ball — a dance

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