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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.

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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: season · mark · file · wave · scale · pass · deal · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a tool
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. scale — in music
  7. deal — to handle
  8. race — a contest
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mark — a trace
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — of the year
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. file — a document
  17. race — the arms race
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. season — in sport
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pass — to spend time

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