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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.

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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: lean · toast · current · bay · march · foot · scale · mate

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. lean — thin
  3. scale — in music
  4. current — electric
  5. scale — size or range
  6. toast — bread
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. march — music
  9. mate — a partner
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. current — of water
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. march — the month
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mate — to breed
  24. march — the month

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