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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: perch · scale · race · roll · nail · trunk · deal · bass

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. roll — a list
  6. scale — in music
  7. deal — to handle
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. scale — size or range
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. race — humankind
  12. bass — the fish
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. roll — a cake
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. race — the arms race
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bass — low music

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