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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.

Make a worksheet

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: root · file · ball · fan · pit · ruler · scale · wave

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. root — the cause
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. file — a tool
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. file — a document
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — in a race
  16. root — of a word
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. scale — in music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wave — of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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