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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: fine · scale · squash · current · wave · track · nail · land

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. track — a path
  4. land — ground
  5. land — a country
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — in music
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. current — of water
  10. current — happening now
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fine — high quality
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fine — all right
  15. land — to come down
  16. current — electric
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. track — a song
  19. track — to keep track
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. squash — the sport
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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