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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: scale · race · nail · wake · stem · staff · face · chip

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. face — part of the head
  5. chip — for betting
  6. face — to confront
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. race — a contest
  10. staff — employees
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — in music
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stem — to come from

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