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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: stem · suit · race · scale · wake · charge · coach · file

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. charge — in control
  5. race — a contest
  6. file — a line of people
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. race — the arms race
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. charge — a price
  14. file — a document
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. charge — electricity
  18. scale — size or range
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. scale — in music
  23. file — a tool
  24. suit — clothes

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