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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: scale · rest · mouse · cabinet · deal · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. rest — what's left
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. race — the arms race
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rest — a break
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. scale — in music
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. deal — to handle
  18. race — a contest

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