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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: march · scale · temple · date · mug · deal · rush · current

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. march — music
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. scale — size or range
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. scale — in music
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. current — happening now
  14. march — the month
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rush — hurry
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. march — the month
  24. date — on the calendar

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