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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: saw · spell · pound · root · wound · deal · fall · scale

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. scale — in music
  3. pound — a weight
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wound — an injury
  8. root — of a word
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wound — an injury
  11. scale — size or range
  12. root — of a plant
  13. spell — magic
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. fall — the season
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. saw — the tool
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fall — to drop
  23. root — the cause
  24. fall — to drop

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