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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
468
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: scale · lean · race · cue · lie · root · band · fan

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. race — a contest
  3. cue — a hint
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. root — of a plant
  6. race — the arms race
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. band — a ring
  10. root — of a word
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cue — for pool
  13. scale — in music
  14. cue — a signal
  15. root — the cause
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. race — humankind
  20. lie — to recline
  21. scale — size or range
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. band — a music group
  24. fan — a supporter

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