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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.

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: can · scale · fine · race · leaves · mine · swing · deal

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. race — a contest
  3. swing — to play on
  4. deal — to handle
  5. fine — all right
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. can — to be able to
  9. race — humankind
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — in music
  17. swing — music
  18. can — a tin
  19. swing — in golf
  20. race — the arms race
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. can — a tin
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mine — for digging

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