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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: clip · current · scale · stick · mug · rock · racket · hand

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mug — to rob
  8. current — electric
  9. mug — a cup
  10. scale — size or range
  11. clip — a video
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. current — happening now
  14. clip — to cut
  15. clip — for paper
  16. current — of water
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. scale — in music
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mug — a face
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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