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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: ruler · roll · race · bulb · scale · game

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — a contest
  5. bulb — for light
  6. roll — a list
  7. race — humankind
  8. bulb — for light
  9. roll — a cake
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. game — a match
  14. scale — size or range
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. game — wild animals

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