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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: race · firm · bore · scale · charge · pound

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. firm — a company
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bore — to drill
  8. scale — size or range
  9. race — the arms race
  10. firm — decided
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bore — to tire
  13. race — humankind
  14. scale — in music
  15. race — a contest
  16. pound — a weight
  17. firm — steady
  18. pound — for dogs

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