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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 · drill · season · rock · degree · cabinet · rest · firm

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rest — a break
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rock — music
  7. drill — army training
  8. degree — temperature
  9. firm — steady
  10. season — of the year
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. degree — an amount
  13. firm — decided
  14. drill — the tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. season — in sport
  18. race — a contest
  19. rest — what's left
  20. race — humankind
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. degree — from a university
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. season — to add flavour

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