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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 120 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: ground · ruler · scale · rule · pit · stand

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rule — government
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stand — to bear
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. scale — in music
  16. ground — crushed
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pit — in a race

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