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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 116 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: scale · chip · file · club · root · dip · wake · stock

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. dip — to sink
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. file — a document
  6. stock — goods
  7. file — a line of people
  8. scale — in music
  9. root — of a plant
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. file — a tool
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wake — a trail
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stock — shares
  22. scale — size or range
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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