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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: scale · game · bulb · track · lean · rest · club · pound

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lean — thin
  6. game — wild animals
  7. club — a group
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bulb — for light
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. track — a path
  14. rest — what's left
  15. scale — in music
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rest — a break
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. club — for golf
  24. scale — size or range

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