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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: current · scale · fork · bark · temple · spring · roll · pass

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. current — electric
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. current — of water
  5. roll — a list
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bark — to shout
  14. current — happening now
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. fork — in a road
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spring — the season
  21. scale — size or range
  22. spring — a coil
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. spring — of water

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