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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. roll — a cake
  4. race — humankind
  5. bank — for money
  6. roll — a list
  7. board — a committee
  8. rush — hurry
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. race — the arms race
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bank — of a river
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. board — to get on
  20. scale — in music
  21. race — a contest
  22. bank — for money
  23. snap — to click
  24. roll — on a roll

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