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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 120 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 · wake · leaves · field · board · firm · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rule — a law
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. firm — steady
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. board — to get on
  10. field — for sport
  11. field — a subject
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. firm — a company
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. board — a committee
  19. firm — decided
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rule — government
  23. field — farmland
  24. wake — before a funeral

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