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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.

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: row · charge · mark · scale · saw · wind · fan · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. row — to paddle
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mark — a trace
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. wind — moving air
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. charge — electricity
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. race — humankind
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. scale — in music
  16. wind — moving air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. row — a line
  20. charge — a price
  21. race — a contest
  22. saw — the tool
  23. charge — in control
  24. mark — a grade

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