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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: roll · scale · drill · wave · rash · race · jam · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. roll — a list
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. race — humankind
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. race — the arms race
  8. drill — a practice
  9. rash — hasty
  10. drill — army training
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. race — a contest
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. roll — a cake
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. rash — a series
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. drill — the tool

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