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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: mate · stock · charge · scale · degree · leaves · drill · race

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. race — the arms race
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. race — a contest
  6. stock — goods
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. charge — in control
  9. drill — army training
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. degree — temperature
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. race — humankind
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. degree — an amount
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. drill — a practice
  21. charge — a price
  22. degree — from a university
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mate — a partner

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