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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 116 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
468
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: degree · current · tear · fan · row · stand · scale · fine

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. current — happening now
  4. degree — temperature
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. current — electric
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. row — a line
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fine — all right
  12. tear — from crying
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. row — to paddle
  16. tear — to rip
  17. fine — high quality
  18. current — of water
  19. scale — size or range
  20. degree — an amount
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. degree — from a university
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. scale — for weighing

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