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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.

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 · clip · mate · rule · fine · pass

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. clip — for paper
  4. clip — a video
  5. mate — a partner
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pass — a permit
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mate — a friend
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. fine — all right
  14. scale — in music
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. clip — to cut
  18. mate — to breed

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