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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: scale · suit · ground · squash · kid · ruler · present · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. ground — crushed
  3. kid — child
  4. ground — a position
  5. suit — to fit
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. scale — in music
  13. kid — to tease
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. current — happening now
  16. present — a gift
  17. squash — to crush
  18. suit — in cards
  19. squash — the sport
  20. scale — size or range
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. current — of water
  24. ground — the earth

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