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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: scale · stand · foot · rush · game · ruler · track · pop

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. track — a song
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. pop — music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. track — a path
  11. game — a match
  12. track — to keep track
  13. scale — in music
  14. pop — soda
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. game — wild animals
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pop — to visit
  23. foot — a measure
  24. scale — for weighing

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