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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 · scale · bank · object · cell · jam

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. object — to protest
  4. bank — of a river
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. cell — a phone
  7. object — a thing
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. scale — in music
  10. rule — a law
  11. object — an aim
  12. rule — government
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. bank — for money
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bank — for money
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cell — in biology

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