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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.

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: chest · bowl · object · scale · current · tear · cabinet · jam

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. chest — a box
  4. tear — to rip
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. current — happening now
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. chest — of your body
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. chest — of your body
  22. current — of water
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bowl — to roll

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