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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rule — a law
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. roll — a list
  13. bass — low music
  14. rule — government
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. scale — in music
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. shower — rain
  20. date — the fruit
  21. shower — to wash
  22. roll — a cake
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. ruler — for measuring

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