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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: bass · current · rush · can · content · rock · scale · hand

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. can — to be able to
  3. content — the amount
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rock — music
  8. content — happy
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. hand — in cards
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bass — the fish
  14. scale — in music
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. hand — help
  17. bass — low music
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. current — of water
  21. rock — a stone
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bass — the instrument

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