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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: scale · press · mine · season · roll · rule · toast · board

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. roll — a cake
  3. scale — size or range
  4. rule — government
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. board — a committee
  8. roll — a list
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. press — to push
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. rule — a law
  15. season — of the year
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — bread
  18. board — to get on
  19. press — a publisher
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. scale — in music
  24. season — in sport

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