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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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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: ruler · scale · fall · charge · bank · safe · face · file

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. scale — in music
  7. file — a document
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. face — to confront
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fall — the season
  14. charge — in control
  15. scale — size or range
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fall — to drop
  19. charge — a price
  20. file — a tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bank — for money
  24. file — a line of people

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