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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. can — a tin
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — in cards
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. track — a song
  11. can — to be able to
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. track — a path
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — a contest
  17. hand — help
  18. branch — a division
  19. kick — in football
  20. can — a tin
  21. track — to keep track
  22. race — humankind
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. stem — to come from

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