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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. object — a thing
  3. present — the time now
  4. race — humankind
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. scale — in music
  8. roll — a list
  9. present — a gift
  10. bank — for money
  11. present — there
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. ground — the earth
  15. race — the arms race
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. roll — a cake
  19. object — to protest
  20. race — a contest
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — crushed
  23. object — an aim
  24. bank — of a river

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