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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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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: scale · land · swing · safe · file · roll · pitcher · spell

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. scale — size or range
  5. file — a line of people
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. land — a country
  12. file — a tool
  13. swing — music
  14. roll — a cake
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. spell — magic
  17. land — to come down
  18. spell — letters
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. scale — in music
  21. roll — a list
  22. land — ground
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pitcher — a jug

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