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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: rash · scale · deal · ruler · rule · pitch

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — in music
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. deal — to handle
  12. rule — a law
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. pitch — completely
  18. scale — for weighing

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