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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: can · scale · mate · rash · current · kid · cue · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. kid — to tease
  4. cue — a signal
  5. scale — size or range
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. current — electric
  9. charge — a price
  10. can — a tin
  11. mate — a partner
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. charge — in control
  14. rash — a series
  15. mate — to breed
  16. current — of water
  17. scale — in music
  18. kid — child
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. current — happening now
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. mate — a friend

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