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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: deal · scale · pass · coach · ruler · track · branch · present

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. track — a path
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. branch — a division
  10. present — there
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. present — a gift
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pass — a permit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. present — the time now
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pass — to spend time

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