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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: deal · saw · pitch · spring · scale · safe · fork · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. spring — the season
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. saw — the tool
  11. deal — to handle
  12. scale — in music
  13. current — happening now
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitch — completely
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. scale — size or range
  22. spring — of water
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. spring — a coil

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