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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 120 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: cabinet · straw · plane · pass · calf · scale · current · degree

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. current — electric
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. degree — from a university
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. scale — size or range
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. degree — temperature
  15. current — happening now
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. degree — an amount
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. current — of water
  21. plane — a tool
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. scale — in music
  24. pass — a permit

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