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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 · track · bark · wound · race · can · calf · bass

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. can — a tin
  3. scale — size or range
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. can — a tin
  8. track — a path
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bass — low music
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bass — the fish
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. track — a song
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bark — to shout
  21. wound — an injury
  22. track — to keep track
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. race — a contest

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