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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · ruler · fall · scale · court · band · safe · tube

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. tube — a container
  8. court — of a king
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. court — for sport
  13. court — of law
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. band — a music group
  16. fine — high quality
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fall — the season
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. scale — in music
  23. fine — all right
  24. ruler — for measuring

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