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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: field · leaves · safe · spell · file · scale · ground · lean

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. file — a tool
  3. scale — in music
  4. ground — the earth
  5. spell — letters
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. lean — to bend
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. lean — thin
  12. field — for sport
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. scale — size or range
  15. field — a subject
  16. spell — magic
  17. ground — a position
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. file — a document
  20. ground — crushed
  21. file — a line of people
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. field — farmland

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