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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: pound · racket · suit · scale · race · hide

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. scale — size or range
  7. suit — clothes
  8. race — humankind
  9. pound — a weight
  10. race — the arms race
  11. suit — in cards
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. race — a contest
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. scale — in music
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. suit — to fit

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