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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: rule · current · pit · plane · rush · scale · spring · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rush — hurry
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rule — a law
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rule — government
  13. spring — of water
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. race — a contest
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pit — in a race
  18. spring — the season
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. race — humankind
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. current — happening now
  24. scale — in music

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