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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: calf · file · squash · root · prune · scale · wound · swing

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. wound — an injury
  4. squash — to crush
  5. wound — an injury
  6. file — a tool
  7. swing — in golf
  8. file — a document
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. prune — to trim
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. swing — music
  16. file — a line of people
  17. root — of a plant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. swing — to play on
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — the sport
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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