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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: wave · season · race · scale · dip · track · stick · mine

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mine — for digging
  3. scale — in music
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. track — a song
  7. season — of the year
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. season — in sport
  11. race — humankind
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. dip — to sink
  14. race — the arms race
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. race — a contest
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. scale — size or range

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