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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
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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: date · current · ruler · scale · mug · pitch · chip · bark

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. current — of water
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. current — happening now
  5. pitch — completely
  6. scale — size or range
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bark — to shout
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. current — electric
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mug — a cup
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mug — a face
  20. scale — in music
  21. date — the fruit
  22. chip — to eat
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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