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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: race · stem · bore · wave · cabinet · chip · scale · rock

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. chip — for betting
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. race — a contest
  10. chip — to eat
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — the arms race
  22. rock — music
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. scale — in music

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