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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 116 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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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 · fall · tube · pound · root · bay · mate · pass

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. mate — a friend
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. fall — the season
  5. root — of a plant
  6. tube — a container
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mate — a partner
  9. pass — a permit
  10. tube — the underground
  11. scale — in music
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. scale — size or range
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. root — the cause
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. root — of a word
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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