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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.

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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: tube · stem · scale · pound · current · wake · bowl · sharp

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. tube — a container
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stem — to come from
  11. current — electric
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. current — happening now
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. current — of water
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pound — a weight
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. stem — of a plant

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