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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.

Make a worksheet

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: safe · spell · shower · row · march · scale · root · racket

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. march — music
  3. shower — to wash
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. root — the cause
  6. scale — size or range
  7. row — a line
  8. march — the month
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. root — of a plant
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. spell — a short time
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — to paddle
  17. spell — magic
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. march — the month
  21. spell — letters
  22. root — of a word
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. scale — in music

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