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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
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: temple · game · scale · stick · cap · current · present · clip

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. scale — in music
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. current — electric
  6. clip — a video
  7. present — there
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. present — a gift
  11. scale — size or range
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. game — a match
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. cap — a lid
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. clip — for paper
  22. game — wild animals
  23. clip — to cut
  24. present — the time now

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