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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: dip · degree · rest · rule · scale · club · pass · plane

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. club — for dancing
  3. rule — a law
  4. rest — a break
  5. club — a group
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. club — for golf
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. rule — government
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pass — a permit
  15. dip — to sink
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. plane — a tool
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. degree — temperature
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pass — to succeed

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