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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · scale · race · mug · bowl · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. chair — a leader
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mug — to rob
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mug — a cup
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. race — humankind
  12. pass — a permit
  13. scale — in music
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. race — a contest
  16. mug — a face
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. chair — to sit on

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