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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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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: dip · stand · race · wave · fork · scale

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. fork — in a road
  3. dip — to sink
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. race — a contest
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. scale — in music
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. race — the arms race
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stand — for spectators

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