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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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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: mate · wave · rush · cabinet · pound · scale · stick · race

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. race — a contest
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pound — a weight
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. race — the arms race
  8. mate — to breed
  9. scale — in music
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. race — humankind
  12. mate — a friend
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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