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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: mouse · scale · pound · ruler · chip · file

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. scale — in music
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pound — a weight
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a document
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. file — a tool
  18. pound — for dogs

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