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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
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: scale · current · ball · stock · rock · jam · bass · game

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. current — happening now
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. current — electric
  8. current — of water
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. game — a match
  13. rock — music
  14. bass — low music
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stock — goods
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. scale — in music
  24. rock — a stone

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