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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: scale · tube · craft · race · leaves · ground · can · bore

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. can — a tin
  3. bore — to drill
  4. can — to be able to
  5. race — a contest
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. tube — the underground
  8. can — a tin
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. scale — size or range
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bore — to tire
  14. tube — a container
  15. craft — boats
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. ground — crushed
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. scale — in music
  20. ground — the earth
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — humankind
  23. craft — a skill
  24. ground — a position

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