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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 116 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: current · scale · drill · nail · leaves · stock · pitcher · key

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. current — of water
  4. scale — in music
  5. stock — shares
  6. drill — a practice
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. current — happening now
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. key — the most important part
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. drill — the tool
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. stock — goods
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. key — in music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. current — electric

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