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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: current · cue · mine · can · press · scale · land · stock

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. press — newspapers
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. mine — for digging
  8. land — ground
  9. current — electric
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. can — a tin
  13. scale — size or range
  14. land — to come down
  15. current — of water
  16. stock — shares
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stock — goods
  21. current — happening now
  22. scale — in music
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. land — a country

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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