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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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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. fall — the season
  3. suit — to fit
  4. rule — government
  5. chair — a leader
  6. rule — a law
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. suit — clothes
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bank — of a river
  18. fall — to drop
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bank — for money
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bank — for money

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