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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 116 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: bay · game · degree · race · present · chair · bank · scale

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. degree — temperature
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. degree — an amount
  8. present — the time now
  9. bank — of a river
  10. scale — size or range
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. present — there
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. present — a gift
  21. degree — from a university
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bank — for money

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