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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 120 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: race · root · fork · scale · bound · rush · fall · track

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. track — a song
  3. race — the arms race
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. race — a contest
  8. rush — hurry
  9. root — of a word
  10. track — a path
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fall — the season
  13. bound — obliged
  14. fall — to drop
  15. race — humankind
  16. root — the cause
  17. bound — certain
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bound — tied together
  21. root — of a plant
  22. track — to keep track
  23. scale — size or range
  24. rush — to hurry

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