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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: leaves · can · bowl · current · lash · scale · season · land

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. can — a tin
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. scale — in music
  8. season — of the year
  9. land — ground
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. current — electric
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. land — a country
  18. land — to come down
  19. can — a tin
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. season — in sport
  24. leaves — to go away

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