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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 116 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 · fall · safe · wind · rule · mate · face · season

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. face — part of the head
  7. scale — in music
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fall — to drop
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — government
  13. face — to point toward
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. season — in sport
  17. face — to confront
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. season — of the year
  20. fall — to drop
  21. scale — size or range
  22. fall — the season
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — a partner

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