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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.

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 · pit · mine · current · mate · staff · land · suit

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. staff — employees
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. staff — a stick
  5. scale — size or range
  6. pit — in a race
  7. scale — in music
  8. land — ground
  9. suit — to fit
  10. staff — employees
  11. current — electric
  12. mine — for digging
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. land — a country
  19. mate — to breed
  20. current — happening now
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. current — of water
  24. pit — a hole

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