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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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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: ruler · wake · scale · bass · chip · track · can · roll

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. scale — in music
  3. track — to keep track
  4. can — a tin
  5. wake — a trail
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bass — low music
  10. chip — to eat
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. can — a tin
  24. bass — the fish

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