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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. race — humankind
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. scale — in music
  7. row — a line
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. row — to paddle
  10. roll — a list
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. roll — a cake
  16. wake — a trail
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fine — high quality
  19. race — a contest
  20. suit — to fit
  21. race — the arms race
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fine — all right
  24. wake — before a funeral

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