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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: rush · mine · hand · key · ground · scale · current · ball

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. scale — in music
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. hand — in cards
  6. scale — size or range
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. current — electric
  11. ground — a position
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. key — in music
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ball — a great time
  17. current — of water
  18. mine — for digging
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ground — the earth
  22. hand — help
  23. key — for a lock
  24. hand — part of the body

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