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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 120 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: row · wound · spring · scale · safe · ruler · track · squash

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. track — a song
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. row — a line
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. scale — in music
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. track — a path
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. spring — the season
  16. row — to paddle
  17. squash — to crush
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. track — to keep track
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. scale — size or range
  22. spring — a coil
  23. squash — the sport
  24. safe — out of danger

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