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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 · face · swing · ruler · branch · charge · root · foot

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. swing — to play on
  3. charge — in control
  4. scale — in music
  5. charge — a price
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. face — part of the head
  8. swing — in golf
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. swing — music
  12. root — of a plant
  13. face — to confront
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. foot — a measure
  16. branch — a division
  17. charge — electricity
  18. root — of a word
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. scale — size or range
  22. face — to point toward
  23. root — the cause
  24. foot — the bottom

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