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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: track · firm · fork · scale · chest · wave · race · press

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. firm — a company
  6. scale — in music
  7. track — to keep track
  8. race — a contest
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — newspapers
  11. firm — steady
  12. race — the arms race
  13. chest — of your body
  14. track — a song
  15. chest — of your body
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. press — to push
  19. firm — decided
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fork — in a road
  22. chest — a box
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. track — a path

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