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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
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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: ruler · foot · fine · scale · lie · race · tube · stock

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stock — shares
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. race — humankind
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lie — to recline
  10. race — a contest
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. foot — a measure
  18. scale — in music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. tube — the underground
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. tube — a container

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