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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.

Words on the sheet
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: file · root · stem · stand · can · scale · tear · ball

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stand — to bear
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. file — a document
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. ball — a dance
  8. can — to be able to
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. root — of a word
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — to rip
  13. stem — to come from
  14. can — a tin
  15. root — of a plant
  16. ball — a great time
  17. can — a tin
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. tear — from crying
  22. root — the cause
  23. file — a tool
  24. file — a line of people

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