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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: file · scale · snap · dip · kick · band · bore · deal

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. band — a ring
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. band — a music group
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. dip — to sink
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. file — a tool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. scale — size or range
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. snap — to click
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bore — to drill
  23. file — a document
  24. bore — to tire

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