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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.

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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: craft · cabinet · cue · perch · scale · bear · ball · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. scale — in music
  3. cue — a signal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. race — the arms race
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. perch — the fish
  14. ball — a great time
  15. race — humankind
  16. bear — the animal
  17. craft — a skill
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. craft — boats
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. cabinet — ministers

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