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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.

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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: row · scale · track · ruler · fan · firm · shower · ball

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. row — to paddle
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — rain
  7. track — a song
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. firm — a company
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ball — a great time
  12. scale — size or range
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. row — a line
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. firm — steady
  19. ball — a dance
  20. firm — decided
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fan — a supporter

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