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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: last · race · scale · key · wake · hide · rest · net

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. net — for catching
  4. last — finally
  5. race — the arms race
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. key — for a lock
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. net — in sport
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wake — a trail
  15. last — to go on
  16. key — in music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. race — a contest
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rest — a break
  22. net — after costs
  23. last — final
  24. race — humankind

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