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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mug — a face
  3. firm — steady
  4. rule — government
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rule — a law
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. drill — army training
  13. firm — a company
  14. drill — the tool
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mug — to rob
  17. scale — size or range
  18. firm — decided
  19. mug — a cup
  20. court — of law
  21. court — of a king
  22. drill — a practice
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. court — for sport

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