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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: rock · charge · saw · scale · race · ruler · ball · cabinet

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. ball — a dance
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rock — music
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. charge — a price
  9. race — a contest
  10. scale — in music
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. race — humankind
  13. saw — the tool
  14. race — the arms race
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rock — a stone
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. charge — in control

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