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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: chest · file · scale · root · ruler · present

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. file — a tool
  3. chest — a box
  4. file — a line of people
  5. scale — size or range
  6. root — of a plant
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. chest — of your body
  9. root — of a word
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. present — a gift
  12. file — a document
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. present — there
  15. root — the cause
  16. present — the time now
  17. chest — of your body
  18. ruler — for measuring

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