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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
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: rock · spell · band · race · lash · file · scale · craft

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. file — a document
  3. spell — magic
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. spell — letters
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. race — a contest
  12. band — a music group
  13. scale — in music
  14. race — the arms race
  15. craft — a skill
  16. race — humankind
  17. scale — size or range
  18. craft — boats
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. band — a ring
  22. spell — a short time
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rock — 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