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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: object · saw · bank · squash · ruler · rush · scale · season

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. squash — the sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. season — in sport
  9. squash — to crush
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bank — for money
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rush — hurry
  16. object — an aim
  17. season — of the year
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — a thing
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bank — of a river
  24. scale — in music

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