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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: track · arm · current · kick · object · rest · bowl · scale

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. scale — in music
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. track — a song
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. track — a path
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. scale — size or range
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. object — to protest
  16. track — to keep track
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. object — a thing
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. object — an aim
  23. bowl — a football final
  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