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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 · court · scale · wave · trunk · calf · bass · land

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. land — a country
  3. current — of water
  4. land — ground
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. court — of a king
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. court — for sport
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. land — to come down
  20. court — of law
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. trunk — of a tree

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