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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: toast · scale · season · rock · ruler · coach

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. season — of the year
  2. rock — music
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. toast — bread
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rock — a stone
  17. scale — in music
  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