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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: bowl · rest · drill · scale · bat · squash · firm · current

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. drill — army training
  3. scale — in music
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. firm — steady
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. scale — size or range
  9. current — happening now
  10. squash — the sport
  11. current — of water
  12. rest — a break
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. firm — a company
  16. rest — what's left
  17. firm — decided
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. current — electric
  20. drill — the tool
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bat — the animal
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bowl — to roll

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