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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 116 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 · bass · bulb · kick · race · pound · rash · bay

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. race — a contest
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pound — a weight
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bass — low music
  15. race — humankind
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. scale — in music
  23. kick — in football
  24. bulb — for light

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