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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: track · wave · scale · lash · drill · game · ground · race

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. track — a song
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. scale — in music
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. game — wild animals
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — army training
  16. game — a match
  17. scale — size or range
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. race — a contest
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ground — a position

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