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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: stand · roll · scale · clip · track · wound · chip · object

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. track — a path
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wound — an injury
  12. chip — for betting
  13. track — a song
  14. object — an aim
  15. chip — to eat
  16. clip — a video
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. clip — to cut
  20. object — to protest
  21. clip — for paper
  22. track — to keep track
  23. object — a thing
  24. roll — a list

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