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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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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 · ball · race · root · craft · temple · ruler · bank

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. root — of a word
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bank — of a river
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ball — a great time
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — in music
  14. bank — for money
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. race — a contest
  20. bank — for money
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. race — the arms race
  24. race — humankind

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