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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: root · mouse · spring · pit · scale · ruler · snap · track

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. spring — the season
  7. root — of a word
  8. scale — in music
  9. spring — of water
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. track — a song
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. track — a path
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. snap — to click
  19. track — to keep track
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. spring — a coil
  24. ruler — for measuring

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