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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: scale · wave · ground · pitch · fine · current · leaves · shower

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. current — of water
  6. ground — a position
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. current — electric
  10. fine — high quality
  11. current — happening now
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ground — the earth
  14. scale — in music
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. ground — crushed
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. shower — rain
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. fine — all right
  23. pitch — completely
  24. shower — to wash

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