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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: track · current · scale · bat · rash · nail · present · pitcher

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — there
  3. rash — a series
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. track — a song
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. scale — in music
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bat — the animal
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. present — a gift
  22. track — a path
  23. scale — size or range
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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