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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: racket · current · degree · scale · drill · prune · craft · swing

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. degree — from a university
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. swing — to play on
  9. degree — an amount
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — army training
  12. current — happening now
  13. drill — the tool
  14. current — of water
  15. swing — in golf
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. prune — to trim
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. degree — temperature
  22. swing — music
  23. current — electric
  24. prune — to trim

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