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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: rock · roll · stock · scale · mark · file · pound · swing

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mark — a trace
  3. file — a tool
  4. mark — a grade
  5. roll — a list
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. file — a line of people
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. stock — goods
  11. rock — music
  12. stock — shares
  13. roll — a cake
  14. rock — a stone
  15. scale — in music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. file — a document
  21. pound — a weight
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — music
  24. roll — on a roll

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