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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 116 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pound — a weight
  3. season — in sport
  4. scale — size or range
  5. race — the arms race
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. scale — in music
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. race — a contest
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wound — an injury
  15. race — humankind
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. season — of the year
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. wound — an injury
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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