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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: fall · scale · dip · rule · track · roll · perch · key

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  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 — in music
  2. track — a song
  3. fall — to drop
  4. key — for a lock
  5. track — a path
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fall — to drop
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. fall — the season
  14. rule — government
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rule — a law
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — a cake
  19. dip — to sink
  20. key — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. key — the most important part
  23. dip — to dunk
  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