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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: wax · shower · bowl · race · scale · charge · can · jam

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. race — a contest
  3. can — to be able to
  4. race — the arms race
  5. can — a tin
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. shower — to wash
  17. can — a tin
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. race — humankind
  21. charge — in control
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. scale — in music
  24. bowl — to roll

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