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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: rule · wave · kid · ruler · season · scale

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. scale — in music
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. kid — to tease
  10. rule — government
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. scale — size or range
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — of the year
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. rule — a law
  18. season — in sport

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