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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: object · bound · staff · scale · race · ground · rush · cabinet

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. staff — employees
  3. race — a contest
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ground — a position
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ground — the earth
  9. race — the arms race
  10. staff — employees
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. object — a thing
  13. bound — obliged
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. race — humankind
  18. scale — size or range
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. staff — a stick
  24. object — to protest

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