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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 116 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: face · deal · scale · race · can · fan · rock · game

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. game — a match
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — the arms race
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. game — wild animals
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rock — a stone
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. can — a tin
  19. rock — music
  20. race — a contest
  21. face — to confront
  22. scale — in music
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. face — to point toward

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