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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: coach · degree · bear · fine · pit · race · present · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. scale — in music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pit — in a race
  4. race — a contest
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. present — the time now
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. present — a gift
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fine — all right
  15. present — there
  16. degree — temperature
  17. fine — high quality
  18. degree — an amount
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. race — humankind
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. degree — from a university
  23. coach — a trainer
  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