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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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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. current — of water
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. race — humankind
  7. foot — a measure
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. race — the arms race
  10. branch — a division
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. current — electric
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. wound — an injury
  18. race — a contest
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. current — happening now
  24. wound — an injury

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