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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: coach · clip · current · content · march · firm · scale · safe

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. clip — a video
  3. clip — to cut
  4. firm — decided
  5. scale — in music
  6. current — of water
  7. firm — a company
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. march — the month
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. current — electric
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. march — the month
  15. scale — size or range
  16. clip — for paper
  17. firm — steady
  18. march — music
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. content — happy
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. current — happening now
  24. content — the amount

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