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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: scale · staff · ball · root · game · swing · shower · rock

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. scale — size or range
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. root — the cause
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rock — music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. ball — a great time
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ball — a dance
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. staff — employees
  14. root — of a plant
  15. swing — in golf
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. staff — employees
  18. swing — music
  19. game — wild animals
  20. scale — in music
  21. root — of a word
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. game — a match
  24. shower — rain

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