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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: race · scale · safe · drill · deal · saw · firm · pitcher

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. scale — in music
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. firm — a company
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. race — a contest
  12. drill — a practice
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. firm — decided
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. drill — the tool
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — humankind
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. firm — steady
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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