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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: scale · object · face · race · chip · coach · root · lash

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. scale — in music
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. face — to point toward
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — the arms race
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. root — of a plant
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. root — of a word
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. face — part of the head
  17. root — the cause
  18. chip — to eat
  19. object — to protest
  20. scale — size or range
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. object — an aim
  23. face — to confront
  24. object — a thing

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