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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 120 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
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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: scale · lie · track · mouse · mate · land · game · ruler

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. track — a song
  4. mate — a friend
  5. game — a match
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — size or range
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. game — wild animals
  12. mate — to breed
  13. track — to keep track
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. land — a country
  16. land — to come down
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. land — ground
  22. scale — in music
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. mouse — for a computer

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