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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: toast · rule · scale · hide · degree · row

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. degree — temperature
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rule — government
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. rule — a law
  12. scale — size or range
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. degree — from a university
  16. toast — bread
  17. scale — in music
  18. rule — to rule out

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