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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: club · scale · leaves · shower · rule · present

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rule — a law
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. scale — in music
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. present — the time now
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. present — a gift
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. club — for dancing
  14. shower — to wash
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rule — government
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. present — there

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