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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: cold · plane · bass · scale · nail · root · perch · current

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. current — happening now
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bass — low music
  12. cold — not warm
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. perch — the fish
  16. root — of a plant
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bass — the fish
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. root — of a word
  24. plane — an aircraft

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