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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: foot · current · pitcher · scale · nail · shower · chip · content

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  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. shower — rain
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. chip — for betting
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. scale — in music
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. content — happy
  15. foot — a measure
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. shower — to wash
  22. content — the amount
  23. current — of water
  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