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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.

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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: bass · content · wave · current · scale · pop · tube · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. tube — the underground
  3. current — of water
  4. scale — in music
  5. content — the amount
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pop — to visit
  8. current — happening now
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — music
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. present — a gift
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bass — the fish
  20. tube — a container
  21. content — happy
  22. bass — low music
  23. present — the time now
  24. current — electric

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