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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. drill — army training
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bear — the animal
  6. drill — the tool
  7. rule — government
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. rule — a law
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. scale — in music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. court — of a king
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. drill — a practice
  24. scale — for weighing

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