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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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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: jam · racket · rule · scale · press · firm

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. rule — government
  4. firm — steady
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. scale — in music
  10. press — to push
  11. press — a publisher
  12. firm — decided
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. firm — a company
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rule — a law
  17. scale — size or range
  18. press — newspapers

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