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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: scale · vault · charge · march · field · rule

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. 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. charge — a price
  3. march — the month
  4. vault — a safe
  5. march — music
  6. charge — in control
  7. scale — in music
  8. march — the month
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. field — farmland
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. charge — electricity
  13. field — a subject
  14. rule — a law
  15. field — for sport
  16. rule — government
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. 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